Chilliwack City Council holding public hearing next week on extended liquor license hours

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However, at its meeting back on Tuesday, February 7, city staff clarified that liquor establishments may sometimes apply for the maximum number of hours that they can, but aren’t necessarily open those exact hours.

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“Typically or sometimes what will happen is, the applicant will apply for the kind of the maximum number of hours, and they aren’t necessarily open for those hours,” said Jennifer Hahn, director of corporate services for the City of Chilliwack, back on February 7.

Hahn said she had spoken with Fortitude Wine Bar owner Monica Churcher about the extended hours.

“I know when I spoke with her on the phone, she mentioned she felt they were missing out on the earlier lunch hour at this point because they open at 1 p.m.,” Hahn told councillors on February 7. “I can certainly confirm for council before the next meeting what their intended operating hours. Sometimes applicants will apply for hours other than what they intend to be open for perhaps special events and those types of things as well.”

Council members are also set to hear public input on a request from Farmhouse Brewing, located at the corner of Lickman Road and South Sumas Road, to extend its operating hours from 50 hours to 69 hours a week open six days a week.

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / PML / Farmhouse Brewing at Lickman and South Sumas in Chilliwack has submitted a request to extend its liquor license operating hours. Its application goes before Chilliwack City Council at a public hearing next Tuesday, February 21. Council can approve recommendation of the application or not, at which point the application then heads to the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch for a final decision.

Farmhouse is currently open noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, closed Sundays. Farmhouse would like to increase its operating hours to 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

For the public hearings involving Fortitude and Farmhouse, Chilliwack City Council can either recommend approval or not, at which point the applications to extend liquor license hours will proceed to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch, according to Jamie Leggatt, director of communications for the City of Chilliwack. The LCRB has the final decision.

Council is also set to hold a public hearing that same night on a rezoning application that would facilitate the construction of a retail cannabis store in Rosedale on Yale Road. Council has the power to move forward with a third reading and adoption if it so pleases.