[Vision2020] What Makes Moscow Business-Unfriendly?

[joekc at roadrunner.com]

The real joke in all of this is at the end of the article, where one of the church goers talks about
the chain reaction of allowing neighborhood bars. The big fear is apparently the mixture of "cars,
bars, and kids." But the fact is that the Silos is a neighborhood establishment. It is in fact in my
neighborhood. It prevents drinking and driving more than anything. Most of the folks who frequent 
the Silos live near by and walk there. And, of course, I've never seen anyone have more than a 
couple of beers there or a couple of glasses of wine. Of course, let's not let the facts get in the
way. Better to listen to speculations from folks who don't go there and don't live nearby.

I think that this is a real test case to be able to predict what kind of town Moscow will be in the
future. One dictated by the will of a select few with a clear agenda, or a diverse community
where people respect the rights of individuals to make their own choices and live their own lives.

The slippery slope that I worry about is not the one noted in the article but the one noted by 
Ellen. I only hope that the council has the courage to stop it.

--
Joe Campbell

---- Ellen Roskovich <gussie443 at hotmail.com> wrote: 
> 
> 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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