NASSAU, BAHAMAS- A rise in liquor licence applications, many overlooking proximity rules, has prompted the Department of Physical Planning to remind the public that no licences will be granted within 700 feet of schools, churches, or other liquor-licensed establishments, according to Town Planning Committee Chairman Keenan Johnson.
“Yes, the Department of Physical Planning issued the recent public notice to reinforce awareness of a pre-existing department policy regarding the issuance of liquor licenses,” Johnson said in response to Eyewitness News inquiries.
“This notice also comes in response to a noticeable increase in liquor license applications being submitted through the Business Licence portal. In several cases, applicants were either unaware of or had not considered the physical planning requirements before submitting their requests. As such, the Department felt it necessary to proactively educate the public and improve transparency around this aspect of the review process.
Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that businesses are well-informed of these stipulations from the outset, thereby reducing the likelihood of delays or denials due to location-based ineligibility.”
Under current regulations, no liquor licence will be granted for businesses located within 700 feet of a school, church, or another establishment that already holds a liquor licence.
St Anne’s MP Adrian White raised similar concerns in Parliament on Wednesday, calling for stricter enforcement of zoning rules and land use policies, and greater oversight of licence applications, particularly those involving alcohol sales near schools and churches.
“We need a government that is going to ensure there is application of our zoning rules; that there are land use plans and land use policies, and that there is no clear-cut destruction of our ecological areas,” White said.
“We need to have more persons who can come from the Department of Physical Planning to inspect sites where persons are applying for certain types of business licences—whether it’s alcohol licences in too close proximity to schools or churches. We need to have a plan to preserve green spaces.”
