SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Council declared and emergency and adopted a new alcohol-related ordinance.
On Monday night, city council approved Ordinance C36680, declaring an emergency and adopting an “interim official” policy prohibiting off-premises alcohol outlets from locating within 500 feet of certain public buildings.
The ordinance defines an off-premises alcohol outlet as a “business that sells alcohol for consumption away from the point of sale,” such as a liquor store.
The definition does not include grocery stores, hotels, pharmacies, supermarkets, restaurants, taverns or wine bars.
The ordinance makes it so no new off-premises alcohol outlets can be built within 500 feet of a public school, private school, ECEAP or Head Start program, community center, library, transit center or park.
It does not affect preexisting alcohol outlets.
The idea behind the ordinance is that restricting the sale of off-site alcohol (like a six-pack or tall boy can) near the specified sites will help cut down on crime in places where children often congregate.
City Council set a public hearing for June 16 and said it will consider expanding the ordinance to also include a prohibition against establishing off-premises alcohol outlets near recovery and addiction centers.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
