By Pueblo y Salud
A three-year effort to improve the health and safety of Palmdale residents will culminate on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 8 p.m., when the Palmdale City Council is scheduled to adopt strong alcohol control policy.
The Palmdale Prevention Community Council (PCC), a coalition of more than 20 health and community organizations, would like to encourage all Palmdale residents to attend this very important meeting.
City Council meetings start at 7 p.m., but the Sept. 2 meeting has an item on the agenda that will delay the action on the alcohol ordinance at least until 8 p.m. This item has already gone before and has been passed by the Palmdale Planning Commission in June. It now goes before the City Council for final ratification and adoption. [Read the ordinance here.]
If enacted, the new alcohol ordinance has the potential to stay and, possibly, reduce the number of liquor stores in ZIP codes 93550 and 93552. This is important because of the correlation between alcohol outlet density and the high rates of violent crime in both of these ZIP codes. Among other things, it will ban the sale of alco-pops – malt beverages with very high alcohol content packaged in a manner to attract youth consumption.
“We started advocating for policy change as soon as we found evidence showing that young residents, mostly students of local middle and high schools, were being adversely impacted by the large number of alcohol outlets in the area,” stated Dr. Jenneth King, church administrator at Word of Life Outreach Ministries and member of the PCC. She added that, “Youth should not have to live in environments where there’s a liquor store on every corner; it sends the wrong message that this is OK and counters all we try to teach our children at home and at school.”
Pueblo y Salud, a health agency working to inform and educate community residents and policy makers about the connection between alcohol availability and alcohol-related problems, have conducted studies and research in Palmdale for many years.
Waunette Cullors, Project Coordinator, stated that, “The new goal is to establish a mechanism to ensure enforcement of the new policies once they are adopted.” She added that, “This has not been emphasized by local city officials in the past, but is an element we are all looking to address in the future.”
Previous related story: Community sends clear urgent message: ‘Our children are being hurt!’
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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The AV Times.
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local says
Plus isn’t this going to mess with a lot of business owners? The economy is bad enough as it is.
Tim Scott says
It seems to be imposing a “no added liquor stores” limit, which actually protects existing sellers from additional competition. If they are smart, they are probably FOR this, not against it.
Tim Scott says
On the other hand, people who own vacant commercial property would see this as preventing them from renting to some tenants, so they should be against it.
Native says
If the comment doesn’t get moderated, I’ve provided five examples just around the area. You can also go on Google maps and hover over antelope valley high with a search of “liquor stores” as the filter. I’m not over exaggerating, I grew up near challenger and the boulevard.
Tim Scott says
Reducing the number of retail outlets is not in any way a form of prohibition. It just allows regulatory agencies to monitor for violations, like selling to minors, more effectively with lower manpower since there are fewer places to monitor.
Welcome to the 1920s says
Honestly, what are they trying to get by doing this? Take a good look at prohibition, temperance, teetotalism, even the war on drugs, and lets see how well that all worked out.
“Drink itself was not looked upon as culpable, any more than food deserved blame for the sin of gluttony. Excess was a personal indiscretion.”
Native says
It’s not prohibition! What kind of prohibition enforcing town would have a Beverages and More? Lancaster should have such restrictions. More REPUTABLE establishments in the community, that do not cater to underhanded dealings, would be more than welcome in a town such as ours! Instead, we have ZERO medical cannabis facilities, yet we support liquor stores in between Linda Verde, Piute & Antelope Valley High. Take it from a resident of the “other side of the tracks,” this is only going to benefit the youth in the surrounding areas. If that is seen as a bad thing, then yeah, call out Elliott Ness and tell him to start cracking skulls.
Boozer says
Lancaster is booze centric. Ain’t no way they will ever restrict the flow of booze. They make money hand over fist by selling unlimited quantities of booze at the Fair, on the BLVD, at Streets of Lancaster, Celebrate America, Field of Booze. Booze, booze, booze. I thought being Christian community meant be of good cheer, not “cheers!”
Claire says
Put the Trap, Longhorn, Youngs, The Spur, Reubens and, well, Bex is already there. Build a wall around the Blvd. and let them all start throwing back. That’s alcohol control-then maybe Palmdale will follow suit.
Native says
Alcohol control? That’s one wedding ring away from Sodom and Gomorrah in this kind of utopia! It’s what the whole hep world world be doing if the third Reich had actually survived!
Boozer says
It’s surprising that Paul Chappel hasn’t led his church in a protest against all the boozing going on at city events. He teaches that biblical wine was not alcoholic. I wonder if the mayor believes that. Should a Christian community be serving up so much booze?
Diego Del Monte says
Don’t forget The Britisher, Maxdons and Casa Roma. Is this supposed to be a list of Lancaster bars with marginal food service? If so, Bex might not qualify.
Diego Del Monte says
Native said: “yet we support liquor stores in between Linda Verde, Piute & Antelope Valley High.”
I can think of only one liquor store in that whole general area. Did I miss something?
Native says
Yes. You missed the point that the one by 7-11 is right next to BOTH schools. You know the old saying of one is one too many.
711 on avenue i as well as the one on challenger and avenue j. The drive thru liquors that get continual fines for selling loose cigarettes are right next to antelope high, used to go there after school. The bar between mobile station on avenue i sells booze.
Numerous establishments AROUND schools is what I should have said, but seeing as the fact remains that THEY REMAIN in close proximity to the schools. That’s the point. I’d assume that one that knows the area like you do would have seen these.