That’s if the Bountiful City Council decides to approve an ordinance that it has asked City Attorney Russell L. Mahan to prepare – after which the council will review it and make a decision.
The issue came up when the new Maxi Restaurant/Dining Club under construction at 1025 S. 500 W. requested a liquor license. It is located in the old Aamco Transmission building.
Grant C. Ellis of Bountiful and Wende L. Lund of Salt Lake County applied for the license.
“She (Lund) was asking for a club license, which allows you to mix drinks in view of the public,” explained City Planner Aric Jensen. “A restaurant license requires them to be mixed behind a curtain.
“A club license allows you to have a 50/50 food/alcohol sales mix. A restaurant license allows only a 70 percent food, 30 percent alcohol sales mix,” he said.
Fifth Amendment, actually, has a social club ordinance which is less restrictive than the club ordinance.
“I suggested that we have something on the books so we can address the issue when it comes up again,” council member Tom Tolman said, in proposing the new ordinance.
“This would be getting ahead of the game, making sure all of our bases are covered,” he said.
“To have a restaurant that serves alcohol or beer, is fine and dandy. But to have a club, and that’s all they basically do – there’s just not a need for that in Bountiful, I believe.”
He said that having an alcohol license as a restaurant “is fine. That way you can control how many drinks the patron has. In our valley, we don’t need to go beyond that point. I think a majority of citizens will agree.”
“To have a restaurant that serves alcohol or beer, is fine and dandy. But to have a club, and that’s all they basically do – there’s just not a need for that in Bountiful, I believe.”
What am I missing here? Do we not live in a free country? These two should absolutely have the right to open a business of their choosing! If there isn't a "need" for this in Bountiful, I guess it'll go out of business, right? Let's let the people decide.