By Phillip Pesola–
The Citrus Heights City Council on Thursday is scheduled to hold a public hearing regarding a proposed craft beer taproom at Sylvan Corners.
Humle Beer House is proposed to be located at 7086 Auburn Blvd., Suite 100, formerly home to a yogurt shop. According to documents submitted to the city, the establishment plans to offer up to 22 taps of craft beer for on and off-site consumption, with hours of operation beginning no earlier than 11 a.m. and closing no later than 9 p.m. on weekends.
See full agenda packet for May 25, 2023: Click here.
“Our business hours reflect our goals in creating a healthy environment of enjoying craft beer without the hassle and headache of creating ‘just another bar,” Humle Beer House representative Owen Roswald wrote in a letter to the City Council. “Music will be provided inside our establishment with a tasteful volume and no amplified sound of any kind, better put as simply background noise.”
The taproom is seeking a Type 42 alcohol license to serve locally crafted beer in a casual environment, but a staff report shows the area is currently deemed “over-concentrated” in terms of alcohol licenses by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).
Due to the over-concentration classification, a Letter of Public Convenience and Necessity (PCN) from the City Council is needed before a license can be issued. The review process involves assessing site problems, criminal activity, building code compliance, health violations, and ABC complaints. The municipal code does not provide specific criteria for approving PCN applications, granting City Council full discretion.
Although there are currently eight on-sale establishments within the census tract, only one is a bar, located 1.2 miles away from the proposed location, with the remainder being restaurants.
City staff recommend approving the PCN, stating that it would not pose any risks to the city’s health, safety, or welfare. The recommendation is said to align with the goal of diversifying the economy, with the new business expected to generate positive fiscal impacts through increased sales tax revenue.
The city conducted outreach to nearby neighborhood associations, but no responses had been received as of the date of the staff report.
A letter from the Police Department attached to the report indicates that a review was conducted which included inspection of the proposed site, review of nearby businesses with alcohol licenses, and analysis of previous calls at that location. The letter also stated that the site will be brightly lit, offering improved security, and that the Police Department “does not object” to alcohol sales being approved for the location.
Anyone wishing to publicly comment on the proposal is welcome to do so by attending the council meeting at 6 p.m. on May 25, or by submitting a written comment beforehand using the city’s website.