the Controversial Committee Report
“We don’t raise sacred cows...we just butcher them.”
“The Alcohol Wars”
Here we go… again…and again…and again. While not a climate change factor, ‘beautiful downtown Irving’ is about to experience another heated Alcohol War (AW). This will be, at least in the CCRs count, Alcohol War IV that will be poured over the city.
For those now suffering from STA (Short Term Apathy), the memorable moments of Alcohol Wars conflicts, for those who enjoy a glass of Cabernet with their evening meal. The details are as follows:
AW I: This war was fought by Wets vs. Drys. The issue was Wet folks wanted to designate a few specific locations in the city where only beer and wine could be sold and served. This would have included a few ”alcohol zones” only on HWY 183, HWY 114, etc. The measure was defeated and victory went to the Drys who invoked religious tenants laced with predictions of Sodom and Gomorrah.
AW II: With fresh troops, the Wets returned with a compromise position to allow beer and wine to be served, after having zoning approved and receiving a State permit, where 60% of the ea5ing establishment’s total revenues must be generated by food sales. This meant a restaurant could not have alcohol sales over 40% in order to prevent an influx of pubs and bars After a very heated battle, the Wets won and Irving poured a nightcap and returned to normality.
However, the conflict lasted for a brief period of time when Pizza Hut applied for zoning. The city was on the hook and each council member was also being sued for $6M personally when the initial zoning case was denied. Pizza Inn believed the zoning denial was discriminatory as they were considered a restaurant. The fracas disappeared when the council reconsidered the zoning and beer could be enjoyed with a pizza.
AW III: Even though there was a sense of peace, in the city over beer and wine sales, the landscape was modified when grocery stores, defunct gas stations, and convenience stores were also allowed to also sell beer and wine. While the Wets won this squabble, there was a bit of revolting when the Kroger store at 6th St. and MacArthur Blvd. entered the process of modernizing their store and applying for zoning to sell beer and wine…just like all the other Kroger stores in the city were already doing.
What made this zoning case a bit strange was the unique forces in the skirmish — Wets vs. Drys, IISD School Board, and city code enforcement.
The IISD School Board attempted to derail the Kroger zoning approval even though the site met the distance requirements from a school facility under Heritage District parameters for selling beer and wine.
And from all outward appearances, the city’s code inspectors also attempted to cripple the zoning by inspections which seemed to verge on bullying and harassment. The following Open Records information was compiled by the CCR to demonstrate what Kroger had to endure. This information was also provided to Kroger senior officials, Bill Breetz and Gary Huddleston, for their consideration.
On a return of the case to the city council, Kroger’s zoning for beer and wine at their MacArthur store was approved.
AW IV: For the record, staff of the CCR has been on the side of the Wets in all of the above battles. And this was especially true in the Kroger zoning case. (See CCR, March 10, 2010, controversialcommittee.blogspot.com )
However, staff of the CCR will fly the banner of the Drys against Kroger, Tom Thumb, defunct/empty stores (Toys ‘r Us?), and corner dilapidated gas stations in the upcoming attempt to sell Vodka, Scotch, cheap whiskey, and any other Hard Liquor in the city by the greedy liquor industry and lobbyist who care more about booze profits over city attributes.
Do you really want to be shopping in a Kroger store (which has recently removed all local supply vendors from selling their merchandise in their stores) and expose your young kid to a gin-soaked geezer whose language and personal aroma would singe the feathers off a flying crow?
Yes, dear readers, the monied pushers behind this new Alcohol War IV are currently having petitions signed to place the sale of Hard Liquor, throughout the city, on a city ballot. They have until January 9, 2019 to collect 9,157 registered voters to call for a vote on the issue.
And to make matters even worse, many of the individuals, seeking folks in Kroger stores to sign their petitions, are informing customers that MADD supports this issue! What?!
Would someone please provide any documentation available, to the CCR from MADD, which supports this claim by the petition pimps?
There is no need to have Hard Liquor stores in Irving. There is no need to have a Hard Liquor stores on virtually every corner in ‘beautiful downtown Irving.’ There is no need to have Hard Liquor stores, which probably could increase the potential for higher crime rates, in the city. There is no need to weaken the city’s ascetics by approving the selling of Hard Liquor in Irving.
The time is now to squelch this potentially harmful issue facing the city. Do not sign the petitions. Meet with your civic/church groups and have a plan ready should the petition be certified and placed on a city ballot for voting. Be prepared to send a resounding response to the greedy liquor industry intent on trashing our fair city by selling Hard Liquor.
Help keep ‘beautiful downtown Irving’ safe and free of Hard Liquor sales by telling the Hard Liquor sellers to be satisfied with their greedy profits made in’ not so beautiful downtown Dallas.’
………………………………………Mark Holbrook
