NORWOOD PARK — Ald. Mary O'Connor (41st) introduced a measure Wednesday to ban stores from selling alcohol in a portion of downtown Norwood Park.
A vote of residents who attended a public meeting Feb. 18 found nearly unanimous support for the moratorium near Sayre Avenue and Northwest Highway, O’Connor said.
The moratorium on packaged goods liquor licenses would include the north side of Northwest Highway between Harlem and Sayre avenues, as well as Sayre Avenue from Northwest Highway continuing on to Nordica Avenue to Imlay Street.
The moratorium will “preserve the character of the neighborhood and avoid any of the issues that arise when a retailer sells packaged goods in such close proximity to a residential area,” O’Connor said.
The moratorium would still allow restaurants to serve alcohol, which will allow the revitalization of the business district in downtown Norwood Park to continue, O’Connor said.
In December, O'Connor blocked a request from 7-Eleven for a liquor license at its store at 6200 N. Sayre Ave., citing strong opposition from neighbors to the plan to sell beer, wine and alcohol at the store near Northwest Highway.
The moratorium would prevent that application from being renewed. The original application was withdrawn in the face of O’Connor’s opposition.
Alcohol sales were banned in the entire precinct until 2006, when residents voted to allow booze to be sold as part of an effort to attract more restaurants to the area. There are no liquor stores in downtown Norwood Park.
Charlene Brandt, community relations manager for 7-Eleven's Heartland Zone, did not respond to a request for comment.
