Last night, the Twentynine Palms Planning Commission hosted a public hearing on the matter of beer and wine sales at the Family Dollar on 6355 Adobe Road. But first, the commission heard from Douglas and Edith Walters, whose property on Daisy near the cemetery, was ravaged by the recent storms. The Walters stated that the problem returns annually and is exacerbated by neighbors building onto easements and diverting natural water flow.
“So I am pleading to you, do something so that water is stopped coming for me because somebody has to pay for all that,” said Edith Walters. “My insurance only pays $253. I pay $1,000 for a truck to come over and take that sand away and refill those holes that were made. Somebody has to pay. The question is, who?”
Community Development Director Keith Gardner informed the Walters that he and the City Manager would meet with them following the meeting.
The public hearing then took place regarding Family Dollar’s application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to obtain a license to sell beer and wine only (no liquor sales) for off-site consumption, originally filed one year ago.
California’s Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) uses a formula relating population density to prevent too many liquor licenses within one area. Based on this determination, three such licenses are allowed in this region, and all three have already been issued, so the chain cited a “Public Convenience or Necessity” with this request.
One citizen stated opposition to the application noting that there is already a 7-11 nearby and homeless tend to congregate behind the store. A spokesperson for the chain at the meeting noted that beer/wine sales do not increase the number of customers but rather, sales volume per customer. The commission swiftly approved the license exemption.
As the meeting rounded to a close, Gardner noted that his department receives so many inquiries into special events, that they are developing a policy to expedite the process in the interest of supporting local entertainment.
The next meeting of the Twentynine Palms Planning Commission takes place on Tuesday, August 20.
