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Show yguor Svoro bWBB u Ity GARY K. UI.ODGETT BOUN I H L'L Local residents re-sidents who alleged that there 1 1 more than one site on which a new Slate Liquor Store can he built have apparently proved their point. A CITIZENS' committee, headed by Mayor Elmer W. liailow and including a resilient resi-lient from various sections of the city, has spent the last several sev-eral weekends looking for alternate sites for the proposed store other than at 1 150 South 5IX) West, Bountiful. Mayor Barlow said the committee com-mittee h.is located ten "suitable "suit-able sites" within the designated desig-nated area, including the state-selected state-selected sue on 5(H) West. "WKT.L NARROW this list of possible locations down to about a half doen before sub-milling sub-milling them (locations) to the State Liquor Commission," said Mayor Barlow. "This should be completed within a couple of weeks." The mayor explained that the committee looked into all kinds of possible sites, including includ-ing one site that has an existing building and a loading dock. "THE PROPOSED sites are located near the interstate (I-15) (I-15) access ramps, along 500 West and on 2600 South." the mayor said. "None are located to a residential area or public buildings, such as schools or churches. The state's proposed site on the southeast corner of 1150 South and 5(H) West, Bounti ful, met with a lot of opposition from nearby residents who alleged that the liquor store would be too close to an established estab-lished residential area and would "invite an undesirable influence into the neighborhood." neighbor-hood." AFTER MEETING with State Liquor Commission representatives rep-resentatives and following a public hearing before the Bountiful City Council, the residents re-sidents took their case to Gov. Scott Matheson. The city council approved a building permit for the state-owned state-owned liquor store at the state's proposed site because as one council member commented, com-mented, "We have no other choice." THE PROPOSED site is in an established commercial zone and should be allowed to be developed as the owner desires, de-sires, the council was told. City Attorney Layne B. Forbes said that he "doubts the council has any other choice but to approve the permit. per-mit. Legally they (state) has a right to build there." BUT THERE were some bitter bit-ter feelings at the public hearing hear-ing as residents alleged that the state was "trying to force something on them by ramrod-ding ramrod-ding the project through." Kenneth Wynn, director of the Liquor Commission, said "that is not so." HE EXPLAINED: "The commission spent several weeks locating a suitable site in the Bountiful area and the site at 1150 South 500 West best meets our needs. This is the site chosen by the commission. commis-sion. "We are not trying to force anything on anyone. We realize real-ize that some of the residents are concerned but we want them to know that we have worked with the city (planning department) to be certain that everything is just right. "WE FEEL that the press has blown this matter out of proportion and that a liquor store, where ever it is located, will not be detrimental to the neighborhood or bring so-called so-called undesirable influence into the neighborhood." Gov. Matheson agreed with the Liquor Commission that perhaps an alternate site could be found and it was with the recommendation of the Liquor Commission that a search be made for a possible alternate site. MR. WYNN explained that the present store at 416 West and 500 South, Bountiful, is too small to handle the increasing increas-ing sales of liquor in the Bountiful Boun-tiful area. He said the Bountiful store the past year averaged nearly $100,000 gross volume sales per month $1.2 million in sales during the year. |