‘Quiet Zone’ assessment study approved
The Gallup City Council approved the issuing of a beer and wine license to JJSST, doing business as Coal Street Pub, located at 303 W. Coal Ave. The licensure approval took place at the Jan. 24 regular city meeting by a 3-1 vote.
Mayor Jackie McKinney did not attend the council meeting. City Councilor Linda Garcia, whose council district includes the restaurant and pub, voted in favor of the license as did councilors Allan Landavazo, Yogash Kumar and Fran Palochak. The latter said they favored the survey and the quiet zone.
“I didn’t see a problem with it,” Garcia said of her vote. “That location had had the same license before and under a different operator. I’m OK with the approval.”
City Attorney George Kozeliski introduced the matter to council members and explained that the establishment was sold several months ago to Jayson Gomez.
“When you sell your business or close it the license reverts to the state and the new owner has to get a license from the state,” Kozeliski said. “Beer and wine licenses are not transferred.”
Kozeliski noted that the city approves licenses under the auspices that they will not be adverse to the health, safety and welfare of the community. He said the most recent beer and wine licenses that were approved were connected to WisePies at American Heritage Mall and Fratelli’s where a full service license was replaced with a beer and wine license.
“The last one that was not allowed was for Plaza Café on Ninth Street,” Kozeliski said. That decision was overturned by Alcohol and Gaming in Santa Fe. Just one public hearing is held on the issuing of a beer and wine license, so the matter won’t come before the full council again, he added.
Kozeliski estimated that the state would probably be issuing Coal Street Pub the new license in about a week.
In terms of what the process is to obtain a beer and wine license, Kozeliski said application must be made to Alcohol and Gaming, with specifications as to the distances from schools, churches and military facilities. The state gives preliminary approval and then the matter goes to what is called a “local option district.”
“If approved it (the request) goes back to Alcohol and Gaming and they either issue it or not,” Kozeliski said.
The licensee pays the normal city business license fee of $50. The application fee for the license is $200 and an annual fee is subsequently paid to the state.
Also at the meeting, the Gallup City Council approved a resolution in support of a road safety assessment for the area of Second Street, Third Street and New Mexico 118 by the state Department of Transportation. The vote was 3-1 with Garcia dissenting.
Kozeliski said the matter is associated with the closing of the Second and Third streets for a quiet zone.
“From what the (DOT) told me it is associated with determining things like the distance vehicles would be backed up for a train in both directions at one crossing,” he said. “I believe the study is to determine the number of vehicle crossings, the pedestrian traffic, and if it’s feasible or advisable to have one crossing and not two.”
Kozeliski explained that the cost of the study is $100,000, which would be paid by DOT. Garcia took issue with the matter saying her no vote was because the people in her district feel “divided.” She said she has held several neighborhood association meetings where the matter has been discussed.
“No. I can tell you that nobody on the north side is for this,” Garcia said.
She’s in favor of a quiet zone, but not in support of closing a crossing. If the wording of the resolution could be changed to not support the city closing a street, then she’d probably be in favor of the idea.
Kozeliski said he wasn’t exactly sure when the traffic study would start. He said such an assessment would have no impact on traffic once it is in place.
By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent
