HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 24-1786 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 24-1786
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 9, 2024
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SUBJECT: CITY COUNCIL NOTIFICATION OF ALCOHOL LICENSE AND
rrn PERMIT APPLICATIONS
This report is in response to the City Council's request to stay updated on Texas Alcoholic
Beverage Commission (TABC) applications submitted to the City of Fort Worth. By receiving this
information early in the process, respective Councilmembers can determine whether they wish to
protest a license or permit with TABC within the protest window.
TABC is the sole authority responsible for granting licenses and permits to establishments
engaged in the sale or service of alcoholic beverages. When a TABC application is received, the
TABC requires the city secretary to certify whether the location of the address given in the
application is in a wet area and whether the sale of alcoholic beverages for which the permit is
sought is prohibited by charter or ordinance. In Fort Worth, the Development Services
Department makes the determination if the location meets the City's distance requirement from
protected uses and if the use is allowed within the location's zoning district and complies with the
Zoning Ordinance. The Financial Management Services Revenue Division receives a Billing
Acknowledgement Form. The City Secretary's Office verifies the "wet/dry" status of the location
as reflected on maps maintained by the applicable county (most commonly Tarrant and Denton
counties) and then certifies the appropriate area(s) on the TABC application.
TABC has a process that allows certain government officials such as the Mayor or a City
Councilmember to protest an application for an original license or permit or renewal if they believe
there is a risk to public safety. The filing of a protest is separate from City staff's administrative
review of the TABC application and is subject to TABC's timelines and submission processes: 60
days before and up to 15 days after the date TABC updates its public database to show the
application as "pending" for an original application and within 60 days of the license or permit
expiration date for a renewal. If a protest is not received within the stated time, TABC will reject
the protest.
To ensure timely dissemination of application information to the Mayor and Councilmembers, staff
recommends sending Mayor and City Council District Directors an automated email from the
City's permitting software (Accela) upon Development Services receipt of TABC applications
within their respective district boundaries. Once received, the Mayor and/or City Councilmember
or his/her designee may choose to submit a protest directly to TABC according to the instructions
on the agency's website at https://www.tabc.texas.gov/contact-us/file-a-complaint-protest/protest-
a-license/.
For any questions on this report, please contact D.J. Harrell, Development Services Director, at
817-392-8032.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS