[Vision2020] What Makes Moscow Business-Unfriendly?

[Ellen Roskovich]

Is Patty's Kitchen and Taco Time going to be next on the hit list?
 
Ellen A. Roskovich
> Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:11:45 -0700> From: sslund_2007 at verizon.net> To: vision2020 at moscow.com> Subject: [Vision2020] What Makes Moscow Business-Unfriendly?> > 23 Sept. 2008> > Moscow-Pullman Daily News> Moscow church objects to alcohol at nearby cafe License up for renewal in> January, council to take up issue at Oct. 6 meeting> By Tara Roberts, Daily News staff writer> > The CROSSing Pastor John Houser doesn't think Cafe Silos should be allowed> to sell beer and wine because of its proximity to the church.> > Houser and several members of the Moscow church's congregation attended the> City Council's Administrative Committee meeting Monday to express their> displeasure with the nearby cafe's ability to sell alcoholic beverages.> > Beer and wine licenses are not normally allowed within 300 feet of a church,> but the council waived the requirement for Cafe Silos in May 2007. The> CROSSing moved into a Travois Way location that is next door to Cafe Silos> in March. > > The council reviewed the decision in October when Pastor Rick Parsons of the> Impact Church, which occupied the Travois Way building at the time, objected> to the license. The council unanimously decided to uphold its decision, but> agreed to review the license down the road.> > The license will be up for renewal again in January, and The CROSSing> members said they wanted to make their voices heard before then.> > "We're just asking that the law is presented for a reason ... and we're> asking that that law be reviewed," Houser said. "We would like to see that> law held up with the 300-foot distance."> > The CROSSing member Larry Todd argued that the beer and wine license> shouldn't be allowed near a church or in a predominantly residential> neighborhood. He said he's concerned about the potential mix of "alcohol,> cars and kids." Part of Cafe Silos' parking is near The CROSSing's> playground.> > "Anybody drinking their nice, smooth merlot, when they're done, 50 percent> of them have the potential of having to walk past that playground, get in> their car, and drive past that playground and leave," Todd said.> > The CROSSing submitted several letters asking the council to revoke the> license and a petition with about 50 signatures of people opposed to the> license.> > Attorney Jack Porter spoke on behalf of Cafe Silos owners Ray and Brenda von> Wandruszka and Rob Davis.> > He said he felt some of The CROSSing members were misinformed, believing> that the license is illegal. The license is legal because the council waived> the requirement prohibiting beer and wine near churches.> > Porter also said Cafe Silos is "not the Beach or CJ's" and has never had> alcohol-related crime problems.> > "I find it offensive that they think they can move into a neighborhood where> there's already an established, legal business conducting itself in a quiet,> inoffensive way, and say, 'We don't like alcohol so you have to stop serving> it,' " Porter said.> > The committee decided to send the issue to the full City Council for> discussion at its Oct. 6 meeting. Committee members and Councilmen Bill> Lambert and Tom Lamar said they are inclined to uphold the license.> > Lamar, who lives near Cafe Silos, said he's never seen any sort of unruly> behavior by people drinking at the cafe. He added that just because The> CROSSing members complained doesn't mean the council has to revoke the> license.> > "The beer and wine license has already been issued, certainly for us to> review again," he said. "But I don't see the neighbors or (Cafe Silos)> trying to get the church to change what it's preaching."> > Houser said after the meeting that he felt the committee members were asking> the church not to push its beliefs on the cafe, but "forcing the business'> agenda on the church."> > Houser said he and church members will attend the council meeting and speak> again.> > Church member Aleta Sonnenberg said she's worried that the council's> decision to uphold the license will start a chain reaction of other licenses> being issued near churches and schools and in residential neighborhoods.> > "It's not just the church, it's the precedent it sets," she said.> > QUICKREAD> > WHAT HAPPENED: Members of The CROSSing church asked the Moscow City> Council's Administrative Committee to consider revoking Cafe Silo's beer and> wine license because the cafe is near the church.> > n WHAT IT MEANS: The license is up for renewal in January. The council can> decide not to waive a legal requirement that prohibits alcohol licenses> within 300 feet of churches.> > WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: The full council will discuss the issue Oct. 6.> > WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: The CROSSing members say allowing beer and wine near> the church endangers children and could cause crime. An attorney for Cafe> Silos said it's unfair for the church to push its beliefs on the cafe and> its patrons.> > Tara Roberts can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 234, or by e-mail at> troberts at dnews.com.> > > =======================================================> List services made available by First Step Internet, > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. > http://www.fsr.net > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com> =======================================================
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