Des Moines Proposes Revised Liquor License Approval Process

The proposal would add a "good moral character" qualifier to the city code that assesses liquor license applications.

February 14, 2012

DES MOINES, IA - A Des Moines city code amendment proposal, up for review this week by the City Council, would allow city officials additional ways to assess license applications to sell hard liquor at convenience stores and other retailers, the Des Moines Register reports.

The change would implement a "good moral character" qualifier in the code, allowing the city to consider a number of corporate behavioral factors ?" past payment of utilities and fines, proof of operating funds, past sales of alcohol to minors, for instance ?" in considering whether to grant a liquor license.

The amendment would apply to retailers seeking any type of liquor license in the city, though council members expressed concern with Class E licenses, a permit that also allows gas stations to sell hard liquor on the same store floor as snacks.

Councilman Skip Moore said the amendment is needed, citing a proliferation of outlets where liquor is sold.

"We??ve got liquor stores popping up everywhere and it??s causing some concern with me, and I think that if we can tighten it down a little bit ourselves, we should," he said. "I don??t think, on the Class E, they ever anticipated what??s happening with Class E liquor licenses. Those are showing up everywhere."

The Iowa Legislature last year allowed convenience stores the ability to sell hard liquor. Previously, stores seeking to sell liquor had to sell it in a separate, closed-off room with its own cash register.

After the law changed, an influx of Class E license applications were made, which allowed retailers to display and sell liquor from the same room and register as other items.

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