By Matt Clevenger
For the Miami Valley Today
WEST MILTON — Members of the West Milton Village Council are currently considering a request to transfer one of the village’s few remaining liquor licenses to a new restaurant that would be located in Covington.
“The owner of the Subway here is going to be involved in this restaurant in Covington,” Municipal Manager D. Jefferey Sheridan said. “So, they’re using this address and trexing a liquor license from West Milton to Covington.”
In Ohio, municipalities are only allotted a certain number of liquor licenses; trexing is a process that allows the transfer of a license from one area to another when none are available.
“We have a limited number, and I don’t know how many that is,” Sheridan said of the licenses.
Council members discussed the license request during their regularly scheduled workshop meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 28. Council members agreed to request a hearing to voice their opposition to the license transfer.
“If that’s the only one, then we’re eliminating what someone wants to do in the future,” Mayor Anthony Miller said.
“I just don’t see how it benefits us,” council member Greg Tracy said of the transfer.
“They’ve used our address,” Sheridan said. “I’m not sure if they have the liquor license, or they went to West Milton because they have a presence here, found out there was an extra license and they’re associated with this new restaurant coming to Covington, and that’s how they’re moving the license.”
In other business, council members also discussed a plan to submit three different road construction projects to the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, which recently issued a call for projects in need of funding.
“We identified nine possible projects,” Sheridan said “There are three projects that are much higher priority.”
“The first one is the intersection of Frederick-Garland and South Miami Street,” Sheridan said. “We’re looking for the addition of some turn lanes and stop lights or flashing lights.”
“The second that was a high priority was the intersection of Hayes Street and North Jay Street,” he said. “The last one is the intersection of Milton-Potsdam Road and State Route 571. There are several issues in terms of safety at that intersection; It’s a primary route to and from school.”
If any of the village’s projects are selected funding is usually split 80-20, meaning the federal government pays 80% and the village pays 20%.
Council members also heard an update on plans for the 2022 Central-Western Firemen’s Association Convention, which will return to West Milton next year. Portions of Miami and Washington Streets will be blocked during the two-day event, which will be held sometime in July of 2022.
“This is subject to change; it’s not set in stone,” West Milton firefighter Trey Cross said. “Two dates we discussed were July 15 and 16, which is a Friday and Saturday, or the next weekend the 22 and 23.”
Council also heard a recommendation for the village to adjust parts of the code of ordinances regulating medical marijuana dispensaries.
“I brought this up again only because I received multiple calls inquiring what our zoning says about a medical marijuana dispensary,” Sheridan said. “Right now, it’s not in our code.”
“I would suggest that we be prepared to make a change in the code,” he said. “The more important question is where you’re going to allow it, and what strings you’re going to tie to it.”
“If you try to manage it by zoning it out, by making it impossible to locate X, you’ll lose,” Sheridan said. “By law, if it is legally allowed, you have to have someplace in the community where they can operate.”
“I’ve been told dispensaries,” Sheridan said. “No one’s mentioned growing; the only questions I’ve gotten are from large companies that are trying to open up dispensaries throughout the state
Board members adjourned their meeting, entering into executive session to consider the appointment, employment, dismissal or discipline of a public employee or official. Village council’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 12.
