Should brew pubs and liquor producers be allowed to operate in Coquitlam?
That is the question city council and staff are hoping residents will answer at a Feb. 15 public hearing, where changes to the city’s liquor regulations are to be discussed. Also to be considered is whether alcohol sales should be permitted at Coquitlam grocery stores.
The issue has been on the city’s radar for more than a year, ever since the province announced changes to its liquor rules, which had not been updated since 1999.
A report to council in December stated zoning changes would allow liquor manufacturing in certain designated areas, including City Centre and Fraser Mills, while removing the separation distance between liquor stores and public parks, schools and places of worship.
The city also surveyed the public, finding that most residents generally agreed with the proposed changes.
Of the 99 respondents, 94 said they supported manufacturing at brew pubs and distilleries in the city while 86 said they would be in favour of wine being sold at grocery stores.
Current liquor licensees took the opposite view, with 24 of the 26 respondents opposing liquor manufacturing and 100% saying they would not support store-within-a-store sales of wine on grocery store shelves.
Port Moody has already jumped on the brewing bandwagon, with three craft beer makers — Yellow Dog Brewing, Moody Ales and Twin Sails Brewing — doing booming business on Murray Street near Rocky Point Park and a fourth — Parkside Brewery — opening this spring.
The public hearing in Coquitlam will be held at city hall (3000 Guildford Way) on Feb. 15. For more information go to www.coquitlam.ca.
RIVERVIEW MEETING
Coquitlam council is holding a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss sending a letter to BC Housing seeking clarity on its plans for the Riverview Hospital grounds.
The city’s Riverview Lands Advisory Committee is recommending council send the letter after reviewing a report by the Burke Mountain Naturalists entitled Analysis of Public Feedback on Renewing Riverview Web-based Survey.
BMN president Elaine Golds said the report reviewed data that was collected by BC Housing last year but was never analyzed by the Crown corporation. She added that the results showed area residents are not in favour of putting housing on the 244-acre site.
Council was set to vote on the recommendation during Monday’s council meeting but a motion to defer the report to next week was passed unanimously to allow for more in-depth discussion.
The Feb. 9 special meeting will take place in council chambers (3000 Guildford Way) at 1 p.m. For more information or to watch the webcast of the meeting, go to www.coquitlam.ca.
@gmckennaTC
