Authorizing the Committee on Licenses and Inspections to conduct public hearings to investigate the sale of liquor in corner stores throughout Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, Any establishment selling alcoholic beverages must comply with the guidelines put in place by the Pennsylvania Liquor Code and Liquor Control Board; and

WHEREAS, Sales of alcoholic beverages are restricted to that part of the establishment described in the application for license and habitually used for serving food to guests or patrons; and

WHEREAS, In order to qualify for a restaurant liquor license, the establishment must be a reputable place habitually and principally used for the purpose of providing food for the public. The establishment shall have an area within a building of not less than 400 square feet and must be equipped with table and chairs to accommodate at least 30 persons at one time; and

WHEREAS, The higher availability of alcohol, as noted in scholarly articles, in a community correlates to higher rates of alcohol related problems and the adverse is the case for lower availability of alcohol; and

WHEREAS, According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, among Philadelphia treatment patients, nearly forty percent are admitted because of alcohol abuse; and

WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, 15.2% of teens report participating in occasional binge drinking which ranks the City in the top fiftieth percentile of major cities with such statistics; and

WHEREAS, Although Philadelphia has an overall low youth alcohol consumption rate in comparison to surrounding counties, the underage 30-day alcohol consumption rate in Philadelphia county is 22.9%; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia is tied for second highest prevalence of adult excessive drinking in the largest eleven counties in the US; and

WHEREAS, Alcohol outlet density has been associated with a variety of social problems including violent assault, alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents and fatalities, and sexually transmitted disease rates; and

WHEREAS, The research done in this field has consistently documented that alcohol outlets tend to be concentrated in minority and lower-income neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Adolescent binge drinking and driving after drinking have been significantly associated with the presence of alcohol retailers within half a mile of one’s home; now, therefore

,

be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Committee on Licenses and Inspections is hereby authorized to conduct public hearings to investigate the sale of liquor in corner stores throughout Philadelphia.

End