On Tuesday, Antioch City Councilwoman Monica Wilson and vice chair of the parks and recreation commission Dominique King called for a ban on new liquor stores. They also called for a temporary moratorium of applications.
“First, I am officially calling on Mayor Thorpe to begin the appeals process for this liquor store application. This decision potentially has citywide implications concerning public safety, social detriments of health and quality of life,” said Wilson who noted while she is making this appeal she has not made a decision.
Next, she proposed a prohibition of future liquor stores in the city of Antioch.
“I’ll be proposing legislation on a prohibition of future liquor stores in the city of Antioch. In addition to my legislation, I am calling on Mayor Thorpe to immediately place a 45-day urgency ordinance on the agenda for prohibition of liquor applications until the development of a potential passage of my proposed legislation.
The press conference was held in response to the Antioch Planning Commission voting 4-3 in favor of Item 7.3 which is the Somersville Plaza Liquor Store. The applicant is seeking Use Permit approval for the operation of a new liquor store with a type 21-Off-Sale General license from ABC. The subject site is a 2.02-acre parcel developed with a commercial center and parking lot. The liquor store would sell beer, wine, liquor, drinks, snacks, and similar items. The applicant is proposing to operate from 7am to 12am, 7 days a week. Four employees will work at the store.
Wilson highlighted within a 2-mile radius of this proposed location, there are 8 active liquor licenses while there are only two bargain grocery stores within the same radius.
“Some of the liquor stores have become magnets for illicit activity and crime, people in our community deserve better,” said Wilson
Wilson explained the planning commission voted to move forward in placing another liquor store in one of Antioch’s most underserved areas which has been plagued by issues of high crime to poor health outcomes—noting crime at Sycamore Square, Delta Fair, W 10th Street and E 18th at Cavallo with over 50 active liquor licenses in areas of high crime or under resourced.
In fact, the area of Sycamore Coordidor has been the subject of two recent homicides on December 27 and January 17, a well as a shooting. Cavallo and E 18th has also seen its share of homicides and shootings over the years.
Wilson also pointed out the California Healthy Communities Data and Indicators (HCI) which shows that the 94509 zip code scores in the 35 percentile. The HCI measures diversity, equity and health outcomes of neighborhoods. She noted Contra Costa County overall is in the 90th percentile.
“As a result, I’ll be proposing legislation that prevents future liquor stores in the city of Antioch,” said Wilson.
Wilson was joined by Dominique King, who is vice chair of the Parks and Recreations Commission, a local business owner, who says she is a concerned citizen after February 15 4-3 split vote decision by the planning commission agreed to open another liquor store in the Somerville Corridor.
Dominique King explains why she was against the planning commission vote.
“Planning Commissioners chose to ignore the voices of residents and business owners,” said King who noted more than 150 residents have signed a petition in opposition to the liquor store. “Residents who make up these neighborhood and around Somersville listened to the mental gymnastics played to make this liquor store make sense. To actively come up with ways to trick residents into believing that this store would be everything but what this applicant wanted approved.”
King said no matter the spin placed on a name or isle of unhealth snacks offered or floorplan vs liquor ratios, the planning commissioners approved a liquor store.
“Right now there are more liquor stores in this area than a 1-mile radius of one another than there are grocery stores, or healthy affordable options for residents,” stated King. “There are less recreational outlets, access to educational, resource support.”
She called this store “overkill” given the other stores in the area already sell alcohol.
“Current business owners have expressed should this business open, they will take their business elsewhere,” said King noting the area is full of violent crime, burglary and vandalism. “Our children should not have more access to alcohol than they do healthy safe spaces. Our unhoused should not have more access to alcohol than resources.”
She thanked the planning commissioners who voted no.
14 comments
It strikes me as inconsistent that some elements, at least, of Antioch’s current Council want to prevent liquor stores while encouraging further development of the “cannabis industry” within the city. Those businesses are also “magnets” for illegal activities.
HA. Her priorities are completely off base. No one cares about this. They care about crime and solutions. This is Thorpe-like grandstanding to get King elected to the city council in 2024. Wilson has done nothing in her previous three terms and that is going to continue. This talk about cleaning up the area is a joke. She voted down the Delta Fair Village in 2020 which would have began revitalizing the area. The hypocrisy here is alcohol is bad, but cannabis is good? Give me a break. If people fall for this, they are as dumb as Wilson.
You’re right about the political grandstanding. These clowns hold more “press conferences” in a month than similarly-sized city mayors and councils do in four years. And what is a parks and recreations commission member doing commenting on business zoning and permitting? That’s not within her charter.
I care about this. This is only brought up when it benefits those in power. I care about this because of the crime these store bring to our neighborhoods and lack of accountability by the city and the store owners. Change can start at the local level. It is silly to an extent as we already having existing problems with current stores, again- crime and blight in these areas.
Comical, Thorpe already said they would be addressing Somersville. Maybe this is what he meant. These people are so predictable. Barbanica has attempted to create solutions and make movement but is being shut out by the rest of the council and city staff. All part of the plan to take him out in 2024.
Here is the project rejected in a 3-2 vote that some are now bringing up. I’ve add it to this site from ECT. It was estimated at $100+ million.
If approved, the property would have began being cleaned up and redeveloped into a new shopping center and apartment complex. Currently, the property is full of empty buildings, boarded up retail, garbage all over the property and many homeless frequenting the area.
The project was put on hold in a 3-2 vote after Councilmembers Lamar Thorpe, Joy Motts and Monica Wilson had concerns over the property owners handling of blight and fines over the past five years. Meanwhile, Mayor Sean Wright and Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock called it an opportunity to clean up a blighted area in town and begin the redevelopment of an area desperately in need.
The Delta Fair Village Multi-Family home project was a 210-apartment unit facility that would have been developed at the corner of Delta Fair and Buchanan Road with a new 4,000 square foot retail building. In total, there would be five buildings. The total size of the project was estimated of 411,511 square feet with renovation of existing 73,535 of retail space.
The applicant, Chui Family LLC, proposed a residential density of 45 units per acre which is the highest allowed per the General Plan. There would be 392 parking spaces including 324 in a gated parking garage, 38 on parking garage tandem, 68 spaces outside of the building along with bicycle parking area.
https://contracosta.news/2020/09/26/split-3-2-vote-antioch-city-council-postpones-decision-on-delta-fair-village-apartments/
Is this The Onion. Monica Wilson talking public safety? This council has done nothing but reduce public safety with their actions. Now liquor stores are the blame? Wake up Antioch and vote these clowns out.
Yet again, the Lamar playbook playing out in front of us. Get random people media exposure in press conferences in preparation for a city council run. You will see Domonique King on the ballot next year. Monica Wilson is not even in the right district. This is a slap in the face to Mike Barbanica.
Liquor stores are not the problem. The root of the problem comes from Sacramento lawmakers, propositions that tricked voters and no punishment for criminals. If Wilson cared about crime, she would have addressed Romi’s Liquors and Sycamore Square a long time ago. This is comical they did this press conference with a straight face.
I agree with you on this. It is well known that these liquor stores are a hot spot for crime in our communities. Having lived in both neighborhoods and still living off of E.18th- I am saddened by what I see and how these spots are used as leverage by those in power for their own benefit.
PT1: I’ve stated this before at council meetings, we need to look at our corner stores and how proximal they are too schools and how they bring crime. Secondly, we need to look at the saturation of corner/liquor stores in district 1 and 2.
AND FINALLY! Council needs to make a decision on the tabacco ban! CCHS has good past reports on how many liquor stores each city has. It’s old but can give you a good picture.
Even gold into cash stores failed.
About only businesses that seem to thrive are payday advance and liquor stores.
What Antioch DOES NOT NEED is any more high density housing.
There’s STILL three burned out high density housing buildings on Sycamore.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m so sick of the clowns on the city council that it makes me want to drink. I vote for more liquor stores to help me cope with these grandstanding phonies.
Wish above commenters were on City Council.
Banning new Liquor stores Antioch’s is a great idea Monica! However, current Mayor and City Council supports and solicits development of the “cannabis industry” in our city. The Hypocrisy of banning Liquor stores and at the same time solicit the marijuana industry is laughable. C’Mon you all have a twisted views and reasoning.
The only factor is if the Marijuana industry is greasing the wheels of City Hall. Both Liquor and Marijuana industry is bad for family and the community. California’s Marijuana industry has not made California one dime in tax revenue; and is full of back door cash payoffs.
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