A Park Ridge City Council committee is backing changes to the city’s liquor ordinance that would ease some restrictions on restaurants serving alcohol.
The Procedures and Regulations Committee proposed changes Tuesday that would open the way for a limited increase in outdoor cafes, allow larger televisions in restaurants and restaurant lounges, and allow small specialty food stores to sell fine wines and spirits.
The changes also would create licenses allowing liquor sales by three more categories of businesses.
But the committee rejected a proposal to allow more restaurant lounges.
The changes will be brought back to the committee for review in February, when a recommendation could be made to the City Council.
Committee members said they saw no reason to lower or eliminate the seating requirement for the Class B1 license, which allows restaurants to operate lounges where customers can have a drink without ordering a meal. To qualify, a restaurant must have seating for at least 100 customers.
Critics said the seating restriction discourages smaller upscale restaurants from locating in Park Ridge. One proposal would eliminate the requirement and limit the size of lounges.
“I see Park Ridge dining dollars flowing south down Northwest Highway,” said Ald. Steve Huening, referring to a strip of popular restaurants in Chicago’s nearby Edison Park neighborhood.
But others said the change would add more bars in Park Ridge.
“This is going to lead to an increase in bars that serve alcohol and alcohol only,” Ald. Craig Tomassi said.
The committee compromised by suggesting amending the Class B license, which allows restaurants to serve drinks along with a meal. Under the amendment, those restaurants could serve drinks at a bar to customers waiting for tables.
To encourage more alfresco dining, the committee is considering an amendment allowing outdoor food and liquor service on private property, subject to appearance guidelines and permit approval.
The committee also endorsed new classes of liquor licenses to cover catering businesses, businesses that sell liquor via mail order or the Internet and specialty food stores interested in selling packaged liquor.
One of the amendments would correct an anachronism in the liquor ordinance limiting the size of TV screens in restaurants and restaurant lounges to 30 inches. Restaurant owners have said 30-inch TVs are no longer made, so the ordinance effectively limits them to 27-inch sets. The amendment would change the limit to 32 inches.
