Liquor Licenses Up for Renewal, Bistro Licenses Up for Approval at City Meeting Monday

Monday will be a big name for Birmingham's liquor licenses at the Birmingham City Commission meeting. Not only will the city be considering whether to renew all its liquor licenses, but several hearings on Monday will determine who will receive a 2013 Birmingham bistro license.

Commissioners will meet at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. Stay tuned to Birmingham Patch all week to hear what happened, or watch the meeting live either on Public Access Channel 15 or at the city's website.

Appointments

On Monday, city commissioners will recognize the students who served on various city boards for the past year, and then welcome the new, 2013 class of student board members:

• Arshon Afrakhteh, Planning Board
• Caroline Stacey, Historic District Commission/Design Review Board
• Erin Jacobs, Historic District Study Committee
• Hannah Gould, Parks and Recreation Board
• Carolyn Hollingshead, Public Arts Board
• Katherine Rink, Traffic and Safety Board
• Olivia Kurajian, Museum Board

In addition, commissioners will interview Sally Parsons and Linda Wells for two spots on the Public Arts Board, and then appoint Mark Coir as a regular member on the Historic District Commission.

Consent Agenda

All items listed on the consent agenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion and approved by a roll call vote. There will be no separate discussion of the items unless a commissioner or citizen so requests.

• Authorizing the purchase of 11 Latitude ATG mobile data computers, power adapters and docking stations for the Birmingham Police Department, to be paid out of the Law and Drug Enforcement budget. The total cost for the computers and mounts is $39,720.
• Authorizing the purchase of one 2013 Chevrolet Caprice police patrol vehicle for $27,344.
• Joining the Oakland County Tactical Training Consortium.
• Approving a request to hold the Celebrate Birmingham parade on Sunday, May 19 and appointing Sandy Debicki as chairperson of the 2012 Celebrate Birmingham Parade Committee.
• Authorizing a contract with Colonial Fireworks for the July 3 fourth of July fireworks display at Lincoln Hills for a total of $15,000.
• Setting a public hearing for March 4 to consider whether The Stand should operate in the former Zazios spot with an Economic Development License.
• Approving the use of 36 abutting, right-of-way parking spaces on South Old Woodward and Hazel to fulfill a portion of the off-street parking requirements for 555 S. Old Woodward.
• Approving a contract with Integrate Data Solutions, Inc. to perform temporary labor service for approximately one month, for $110 an hour. Estimated cost of service for one month is $10,560.

New Business

Liquor license renewal

On Monday, commissioners will first review all of Birmingham's Class B and Class C liquor licenses and decided whether they should be renewed for 2013. Should there be an issue, commissioners could decide to set a public hearing for March 18 that would determine whether the city should file an objection with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.

2013 bistro licenses

Birmingham's 2013's bistro licenses also come back before the City Commission Monday night. Who will be receiving the two 2013 Birmingham bistro licenses is up for final approval, the candidates being: Birmingham Sushi, What Crepe? and Crush.

Though it's not reflected in Monday night's agenda, however, Crush may not be seeking a bistro license after all. In late January, the proposed restaurant's owners returned to the Planning Board, . Upon receiving the recommendation from that board, Crush owners said they would stop pursuing a bistro license.

Marijuana ordinance

Commissioners will hear a request from Police Chief Don Studt to amend one of the city's marijuana ordinances to be consistent with state law.

The updated ordinance makes it illegal ot transport or possess "usable marijuan" in a motor vehicle unless it's: enclosed in a case and carried in the trunk, or enclosed in a case that's not readily accessible from the interior of the vehicle (for example, if the vehicle doesn't have a trunk).

Permit approval

Commissioners will also hear a request to amend a city ordinance that would make it mandatory for any permit request that accompanies a liquor license to be approved by the Birmingham City Commission. These permits include dance permits, entertainment permits and extended hour permits.

Before, this approval was mandatory under the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, but since Dec. 21, 2012, the MLCC has changed its rules and local approval is no longer required by the state.

Title VI plan

City Commissioners will also decide whether to adopt a new Title VI plan, which ensures that federal aid won't be withheld based on someone's race, color, national origina, sex, age, disability or socio-economic status. This plan is required by all municipalities that receive federal aid from the Michigan Department of Transportation.

For more: To see the agenda in detail, or download a copy, visit the city's website.