Letter in the Times

I would like to thank Steve Whalen for writing this letter to the Catonsville Times


Developer's frustration proof county liquor laws are poor

Craig Witzke deserves credit for putting his hard-earned money where Baltimore County has long encouraged redevelopment activity ("Plan to tap property's potential hits snag," Catonsville Times, March 7).
Unfortunately, he's also discovered one dirty, little secret hindering effective commercial revitalization throughout Baltimore County.
Its liquor laws are archaic, anticompetitive vestiges of post-Prohibition, making it difficult to attract quality restaurant operations.
In an era when more meals are eaten away from home than ever, where restaurant activity can act as a major anchor to catalyze revitalization efforts, existing county legislation can most kindly be described as counterproductive.
Perhaps one can justify limitations on liquor stores, package goods facilities and bars near schools and churches.
But restricting legitimate restaurant operations (Class B licenses), located on the main commercial thoroughfare for 600 feet of valuable frontage in each one of at least three Frederick Road business district locations, simply defies common sense.
The Frederick Road commercial corridor isn't that long to begin with, and we're going to exclude 1,800 feet on both sides of the street?
Let's get real here, folks. Can we at least catch up with late 20th century practices, if not the 21st?
To their credit, both County Executive Jim Smith and David Iannucci, the county's director of economic development, have been pushing hard to correct inequities in the current system. Jack Milani, head of the Baltimore County Licensed Beverage Owners' Association, has been reasonably supportive of those efforts.
The problem lies with some of his members who hide behind these regulations to exclude competition.
As an office developer, I'd love to have the county tell my competitors they can't build near Whalen Properties' projects. That would be great for me. But it would be lousy public policy.
When Tom Booth or David Brown constructs a building nearby, it provides incentive to keep my projects in good repair, maintain competitive rents, and, most importantly, offer my tenants value for their rental dollar.
Competition works, and it will work in the restaurant business if we'll let it.
I wish Craig Witzke success with his undertaking. And I love Mexican food! I hope my family can toast his Frederick Road venture with a Dos Equis, a Corona, a couple chimichangas and a burrito there some day very soon.
Steve Whalen
Whalen Properties