New Liquor Store Application At Petco Plaza May Be A Moot Subject After All

It seems as if a little investigative reporting on the part of this editor brought to the attention of the state Department of Liquor Control that the town of Clinton, as of two weeks ago, has reached its limit on the number of allowed package liquor stores in town.

That makes the new application for a package store at the Petco plaza confusing, to say the least.

According to Division Director John Suchy, Clinton, like every other town in the state, is allowed “x” number of package liquor retail stores based on its population. For Clinton, population 13,094, that number is a maximum of five. This does not count restaurants that serve liquor or wholesale liquor businesses.

Clinton currently has four open package stores and one soon-to-open.

Operating stores are: Glenwood Wine & Spirits on Route 81; The Bottle Shop at 63 West Main/N. High Street intersection; The Liquor Shoppe at the ShopRite plaza; and Shore Discount Liquors at the Ocean State Job Lot plaza.

Opening soon is East Main Street Wine & Liquor at 19 E. Main in the small plaza adjacent to the Comcast building across from CVS. Owner John Lazarides said he applied for the fifth liquor store permit in September of 2010 and received approval and the license two weeks ago. He is hoping to have his store open before March 15.

So when this editor and many residents saw the large placard advertising the application by Yogesh B. Patel for Yogi’s Wine & Liquor, LLC in an empty storefront in the Petco/Better Bedding/Dunkin Donuts plaza at the intersection of Glenwood Road and Route 81, we wondered why a seemingly sixth store could open in town.

According to Stanley Burk, supervising agent at the Department of Liquor Control, Patel's application is for a liquor permit for a package store. Even more confusing is that Patel is asking that it be moved, from an address of 114-116 E. Main Street to 7 Glenwood Road, into the now-closed golf supply store.

The sixth store wasn’t the only concern of residents. Parents had concerns over the proposed store’s proximity to The Morgan School – not only visible from the Petco plaza but within walking distance of the high school.

"Opening a liquor store so close to a school flies in the face of reason and does not seem appropriate to me,” said Karen Linder.  “I don't know how the process works, but the fact that the permit has gone up makes me think Clinton does not have zoning in place prohibiting this.” 

A phone call to Thomas Lane, the town’s zoning enforcement officer, confirmed the fact that the town of Clinton does not have a distance or setback zoning ordinance that would, for example, prevent the opening of a liquor store within 1,500 feet or another distance, from a school. 

The state does not have a distance requirement either, said Suchy.

Burk said for any new application before the board, residents (18 years and older) opposed to it could file a remonstrance. Details on how to file are available on the website, www.ct.gov/dcp. Search for liquor control and “remonstrance.”

Resident Susan Kyhn said she’s all for a new business that will present a positive image to Clinton, but not another liquor store.

“My concern is plain and simple, we don't need another liquor store in Clinton. In fact, for such a small town, we probably have too many already existing,” said Kyhn. “I could think of many more positive businesses that we could support in the Petco strip, including a great bookstore with WiFi that would be a nice meeting spot for students.”

Kyhn said she understands that for the business owner of the strip mall, any occupant is better than a vacant spot. 

“However, we should have the right to oppose a type of business that is already overpopulated at this point,” she said.  “It is also at a position that encourages alcohol consumption to high school students as well as those visiting the Clinton Crossing Outlets and then driving on the highway.”

After several calls to the Department of Liquor Control asking for the policy on allowing for a pending application in a saturated (by their standards and controls) market, it appears as if things may change quickly regarding the application at Petco.

According to Kyle Anderson at the department, he confirmed that with the pending application, Clinton is indeed “over their limit.”

“We are reviewing this right now,” he said. “There may be a ruling on this by tomorrow.”

When asked if the ruling may include the mandatory withdrawal of the application at Petco, he said “probably.”