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April 8, 2010 in City
Liquor sales restricted in downtown Spokane
Impact zone targets public intoxication
Boundaries of the area in which 32 low-cost, high-alcohol content beers and wines will no longer be sold for off-premises use.
(Full-size photo)
Thirty-two low-cost, high-alcohol beers and wines can no longer be sold in downtown Spokane beginning May 15.
The state Liquor Control Board Wednesday approved a Spokane city request to establish an alcohol impact area along a broad section of downtown.
Liquor licensees and the area’s single liquor store will be prevented from selling cheap high-octane products for off-premise consumption.
The action comes after adoption of an ordinance by the Spokane City Council last December creating the impact zone and seeking liquor board approval.
The City Council at the time said that only seven of 32 licensees in the zone had complied with voluntary efforts to not sell fortified beer and wine.
Mayor Mary Verner said Wednesday that action will be a boost to the city’s core.
“We had some success at the beginning, but gradually the participation became less consistent and we had some who just flagrantly refused to participate,” she said. “Having the sales of those fortified ales and beers in the large containers was a huge detriment to multiple efforts that we have going on downtown.”
The restricted area spans from Cannon Street in Browne’s Addition to Scott Street in east Spokane. The north boundary is Spokane Falls Boulevard; the south edge along Fifth Avenue.
Alan Rathbun, director of licensing and regulation for the board, said that the problem in Spokane was similar to a recent experience in Tacoma’s Lincoln District, where an impact zone has resulted in a strengthening of neighborhood bonds.
He said banning the cheap, higher-alcohol products to “chronic public inebriants” might result in a greater sense of safety for the wider public, and that may actually benefit the restricted merchants by bringing more business to the downtown area.
“I do see there is a real community effort there” to solve the problem, Rathbun said.
Victor Delgado, who works at the Divine’s Mid City convenience store at Second Avenue and Lincoln Street, said the ban could be a benefit to store owners by reducing public intoxication.
Delgado’s only concern is that those seeking the high-alcohol products could become aggressive with employees.
“Sometimes people don’t adapt to something right away, and they get aggressive,” Delgado said. “But it could be a good thing; we’ll have to wait and see.”
The city’s petition said that police and fire paramedic calls for alcohol intoxication, as well as calls for ambulance or detoxification services, have increased each year since 2003. In addition, the problem spills over to emergency room visits.
Property crimes, including theft, and panhandling by transients are also seen as associated with the alcohol sales. Local hospitals reported that the cost of treating alcohol poisoning cases was $2.2 million in 2008 with $1 million of that amount not being paid by indigent patients.
Jonathan Brunt and Sara Leaming contributed to this report.
Returning farmland to a state of nature 
liarsinnews on April 08 at 8:32 a.m.
Who do these ninnies at city hall think they are to dictate where certain kinds of booze should be sold? What they are trying to do is like a fart in a glove.
Another_Perspective on April 08 at 8:38 a.m.
Dick, the City Hall meanies just want to force everyone to quit drinking and start inhaling..
Snyder aka Herman Munster is the biggest springbutt in years. Seems he cant keep his trap shut long enough for anyone else to have a say. Duct tape that boys trap before he swallows his own face.
flutieflakes on April 08 at 8:35 p.m.
Hey, at least you can now know that if you donate to the bums, it is at least going to decent booze, although it’s less efficient.
Camxtreme on April 08 at 9:05 p.m.
Agreed, what about us non homeless drunken thieves that want cheap, high alcohol beer. Another example of our city focusing their efforts in the wrong places. What ever happened to the digital sign ban in downtown….hmmmmm, another lost cause.
AmericaErwache on February 03 at 4:48 a.m.
“Property crimes, including theft, and panhandling by transients are also seen as associated with the alcohol sales.”
Finally, at the end of the article (like usual), you see what demographic causes the problems of public intoxication. It’s the transient bums! But leave it up to the Liberal ninnies in the city council to ban the sale of high-octane booze in that zone. How about this. I would support a stepping up of police action or security guards to keep these bums from sleeping outside of stores and harrassing customers at night. I’ve seen it so many times. I’m trying to enjoy an evening out with my wife, when some drunk bum asks me for change. I thought there were regulations against loitering on private property. Banning liquor sales in this area will not stop the bums from causing trouble in this zone. It’s a typical response from a disconnected city council.