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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Tuesday, February 19, 2019 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 2 of 3 <br /> <br /> <br />Barnhart stated only one liquor license is being proposed, which would allow patrons to bring drinks from <br />one area of the structure into the other area, and if there were two separate liquor licenses, they would not <br />be able to do that. <br /> <br />Gary Anderst, Applicant, stated as it relates to the liquor license request, it is not so much the cost of the <br />license but rather the compliance. Movement of liquor after it is purchased is one issue but it is also the <br />storage. If one side ran out of something, they cannot borrow some from the other side. The liquor is <br />also purchased from two different accounts. Currently there is a separate tax ID for the Lakeroom but <br />both the Lakeroom and the Narrows are operating under one general ledger and are two separate <br />businesses within the same property. <br /> <br />As it relates to the hours, Anderst indicated they can work with the current hours contained in the <br />conditional use permits, but that the issue relates to special events. Anderst stated they do not plan on <br />being open to 1 p.m. every Monday through Thursday but that they already have had requests for special <br />events like Christmas parties, which may occur during the week. One thought was to have one time <br />frame for when the businesses will be open. Anderst stated they did not want to reduce the saloon hours <br />and normally the music is done by 10 p.m. on a weekday night, with the saloon usually closing down <br />shortly after that. Changing the hours was to be more or less consistent with the hours for the Narrows. <br /> <br />Anderst stated he understands there is a risk of losing the license for both businesses if it is combined but <br />that there are also compliance issues that have to be dealt with. <br /> <br />Anderst stated they have been working a long time in order to make this happen and that they are <br />optimistic it will be a successful business and is something that is needed in the community. <br /> <br />Landgraver asked if there are two subsidiaries. <br /> <br />Anderst indicated there is Orono Liquor, which has the liquor license, and then there is the Lakeroom, <br />which is an LLC, and then there is the Narrows, LLC, which owns the buildings. They are proposing to <br />operate the businesses under Orono Liquor. <br /> <br />Libby asked if there has been any thought or design created so they can be two contiguous businesses. If <br />there is only one liquor license, would they be able to have overflow from one area to area. <br /> <br />Anderst stated right now the building is not designed to do that. There is a common vestibule but a <br />separate entrance to each business currently. There is also a second level to the Lakeroom, which is for <br />special events. <br /> <br />Libby asked what the seating capacity is. <br /> <br />Anderst indicated the occupancy currently is approximately 160 and that hopefully the downstairs will be <br />used for overflow if the Lakeroom gets busy. <br /> <br />Libby asked if there is any liquor license that would allow them to serve liquor in the dining room. <br />Anderst stated he has chosen not to apply for a liquor license for the Lakeroom at this time. <br /> <br />Libby asked if a single liquor license would be a blanket one for both places.