LAC LA BICHE - Plans to re-open a liquor store near a newly-opened fuel station three kilometres west of Lac La Biche are ready for another round.
The liquor store at the Tempo fuel station along Highway 55 was given its last call by municipal administrators a month ago. County officials said it had been operating in an area zoned as industrial instead of one that was commercially-zoned, where liquor stores can be a permitted use. The store — listed on large wall signs on the side of the building as the "Hwy 55 Beer Store" — had been open for several days before its owners were instructed to halt business.
The store sits on property owned by Lac La Biche Mayor Paul Reutov. Along with the fuel station and liquor store, the same property also houses a convenience store and a home improvement franchise.The same location was also recently the starting point of discussions to upgrade intersections along an 'economic corridor' stretching 15 kilometres from the west to east sides of the Lac La Biche hamlet.
The total land area of the parcel that being considered for rezoning is about four acres.
A public hearing to determine whether the land will be re-zoned is expected to be held this week in Lac La Biche County council chambers.
During recent discussions by council about the re-zoning, the mayor left the room, citing pecuniary interests.
Permits and planning needed
In those discussions, council members asked administration to confirm whether or not the liquor store had been operating without proper municipal permissions.
“So, the mayo —” began Deputy Mayor Charlyn Moore, cutting off the word before saying Reutov’s municipal title, “ … the building on his land," she corrected, " — it is not operational at this time? But it did open without (permits)? I’m just making sure I understand.”
Diane Cloutier, the county’s manager of Planning and Development said the liquor store had opened, but has since closed, pending the outcome of the rezoning bylaw and subsequent development application.
“There is a sign installed and it had opened, but it is now closed until the proper permits and rezoning in place,” Cloutier explained “The liquor store is not operational at this time.”
A decision by council to move forward with the first reading of a bylaw to rezone the land was approved by council with only Moore opposed. Two more readings of the bylaw are expected to take place after the November 14 public hearing.
Municipal officials say 94 notices about the public hearing have been mailed to property owners within one kilometre of the four-acre parcel of land land.
If the business re-opens, it will be the fifth liquor store within a three kilometre radius of the Lac La Biche downtown core, including one on the same commercial property along Beaver Hill Road where Reutov opened a restaurant several years ago sporting the name of his Fat Unicorn brewery.
