Danville Council Rejects Seven Point’s Consumption Lounge; They Will Now Move to Plan B, a Liquor License

ABOVE: Seven Point of Illinois dispensary CEO Brad Zerman and staff members listen in on Tuesday night’s Danville City Council meeting.

Despite a recent 7-0 positive recommendation from the Danville Planning and Zoning Commission, Danville’s Seven Point of Illinois Cannabis Dispensary’s proposed consumption lounge has been rejected by the City Council.  By recently agreed to rules, an ordinance needs a majority of all 14 elected aldermen for something to pass, not a majority of those in attendance.  With two aldermen absent at Tuesday (Feb 18th) evening’s meeting, Alderman Jon Cooper tried to remove the consumption lounge from the agenda, and then later tried to table the item.  But that did not receive the  eight needed votes.

Before the Council came to the vote on the actual proposed Seven Point lounge, the Council rejected the zoning change that would allow such a consumption lounge in the first place.  The vote was one short of approval, coming out 7-5 in favor.  Voting no were Carolyn Wands, James Poshard, Sharon Pickering, Eve Ludwig, and Robert Williams.

(1st Picture) Seven Point of Illinois team leader Pedro Linares addresses the City Council. (2nd Picture) Pastor Randy Downing speaks out against the consumption lounge.  (3rd Picture)  Veteran Deonta Brooks once again tells the Council that he believes the consumption lounge would be good for injured Veterans, and help keep them away from alcohol and dangerous opioids.

The two aldermen absent were Mike O’Kane and Heidi Wilson.  Alderman Cooper said afterwards, the Council should have waited for a full 14 person Council to be present for something as important as this.

AUDIO: Because I think if you’re missing two votes; you’re hurting that business that wanted it.  We didn’t have 14 here; we should vote on something like that with 14 aldermen here.

Seven Point CEO Brad Zerman felt that could have made a difference; but now they have to move on.  Zerman says they would still like to hold special events in that extra room they would have used for the consumption lounge.  Zerman told the City Council prior to the vote that if the lounge is rejected, they’d be applying for a liquor license immediately.  After the vote, Zerman said; if they’d rather  have it that way, fine.

AUDIO: We’re going to apply for a liquor license tomorrow.  There’s four available liquor licenses in Danville.  We have the application; we’re going to file it and be a bar, if that’s what they want.  We’ll have alcohol and cannabis together, and we’ll still buy a food truck, probably; and have a bunch of food.  Come and get what you want.  We have alcohol, weed, food; we got it.

Zerman says the dispensary and the bar, while under one roof, would be separate entities; in that no one purchasing products in the dispensary would be allowed to use them in the bar.

In other City Council action, a yes vote was given to getting some work going on the Riverfront Trail Concept Design, which received funding a while back from the Golden Nugget casino.  Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr described the area being focused on for this.

AUDIO: We had sewer issues that we had to fix in that area before we could do this final design.  Now, those are nearing completion, so that’s why we’re able to move forward with the project.  So this is actually primarily on the riverfront; back behind the civic center, and going down to the river.

Earlier this week, a Jennifer Bailey News-Gazette story talked about the county wanting a new deal with the city when it comes to contributions towards the Vermilion County Animal Shelter; especially with the amount of animals being taken in from Danville and the need for at least a partial new shelter.  Mayor Williams says, discussions are taking place.

AUDIO: Chairman Strebing and I met with Chairman Miller, and with their director Ms. Snyder.  We have some preliminary ideas, but there’s a lot of work to be done.   The bottom line is we have to work together for a better solution for our community.

As far as how this would first come before the City Council; Williams says if it’s shelter services related, probably before the Public Services committee.  But if it is structure related, then it would be before Public Works.