Liquor licenses increase with Borough growth spurt

The number of liquor licenses in the area has increased the past few years along with the Mat Su Borough’s population growth spurt. If all liquor applications received in the past few weeks are accepted by the Alcohol Control Board, there will be 21 liquor permits in the Talkeetna and Susitna Council area alone.

Dawn Williams, licensing supervisor with the state Alcohol Control Board, says that because Talkeetna is not an incorporated town, they are not under any limitations as far as number of alcohol permits are concerned.**  Talkeetna and the Susitna area, as well as Trapper Creek, are included in the Mat Su Borough permits as a whole and don’t have the same restrictions as the cities of Houston, Wasilla and Palmer.

Williams says that 1 license of each type per every 3,000 people is the limit.  But that is a Borough-wide limit, not an area limit.  There are over 15 types of licenses in the state.  So, the 18 current licenses in the Talkeetna and Susitna area are not necessarily close to the limit.  Currently, the only license not allowed is a ‘full bar’ license because the Borough has reached its limit for that type of license. 

Williams says the Borough has the authority to deny a license if they feel there are too many permits in one given area, but it would be up to a community council to examine the permit application before making a request that the Borough deny an application.

Current permits in the Talkeetna and Susitna area include several that have been in existence for years.  Hotel bar licenses, seasonal licenses, restaurant licenses, package store and full bar licenses are those that are currently operating.

One brewery license in Talkeetna has been accepted with another one currently out for review.

 **Borough wide limitations, not specific area limitations