Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Community of Lumberton to Get Liquor Store, Not Restaurant as Advertised by Dennis Williams in Alcohol Sales Debate

The Community of Lumberton will soon get a liquor store soon in front of Grace Lake Estates and Westwood Subdivision, in between Walton Road and Chance Cut-Off (see map below)
Remember when the issue of alcohol sales in the west Precint of Lumberton, TX was initially brought up several years ago? Some businesses, specifically Developer Dennis Williams, said they were pushing for alcohol sales in order to bring nice restaurants into the Community of Lumberton over there on Hwy 69 and that there was no threat of liquor stores moving in. The people of Lumberton wanted to be able to vote on this issue. They wanted to have a say in deciding to keep things the same or if they want to change their community and transition to a regular city like Beaumont and away from being a fairly safe and peaceful, Texas bedroom community. I am all for the people getting to decide on important issues like this so I got the issue on the ballot and was going to be satisfied with whatever the people of Lumberton decided. That is democracy right? Well, the residents in the City of Lumberton actually overwhelmingly voted against alcohol sales in within the city limits. They said that they like their community the way it is and are just fine with going down the road to get their alcohol if it means the trouble associated with those establishments will stay down the road too. Like it or not, that is their decision to make and they made it. Sometimes people just like things the way they are now instead of making big changes. Change is not always good, just look at what Obama has done under the theme of change. Anyways, Lumberton moved past that issue and is doing great. The City continues to grow and has no problem balancing the city budget with the current sales tax revenue and all without a city property tax. That is miles above the budget problems that some of the surrounding cities have recently had even though those cities have a property tax and alcohol sales. The drainage problems are getting better in some areas of Lumberton because of the detention ponds built with hurricane money, and there is even a road about to open through the middle of the city that will help local traffic to be able to get back and forth through the city.
Although the City limits of Lumberton cannot have alcohol sales, there is actually a part of the Community of Lumberton on Highway 69 in front of Westwood Subdivision that is not in the city limits. This area is in the Community of Lumberton, but it is just outside the city limits and therefore they can have alcohol sales. Here comes the fancy restaurant right? Wrong. There will soon be a liquor store moving in. It is being developed by Dennis Williams. I guess he lied about wanting to bring in restaurants and no liquor stores. Did anyone really believe him anyways?  Now this liquor store is of no concern to me because it is not in the city limits of Lumberton and therefore does not go against the vote of the people. I just think it is ironic that they are building a liquor store and not a fancy restaurant as promised when they were pushing for alcohol sales on that side of town. After all, these big-city fancy restaurants are just dying to move away from the bigger city of Beaumont and into the smaller community of Lumberton right? Apparently they don’t because if they did then they would be building a restaurant in front of Westwood Subdivision instead of a liquor store. I personally would rather support the great local establishments we have here in Lumberton anyways instead of letting them be taken over by the national chains.

26 comments:

  1. But if it's outside the city limits I don't see the issue with a store selling. A line is a line. It doesn't matter if someone is 6 miles or 6 inches to one side.

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    1. Also, what kind of trouble is associated with these type establishments? I the trouble associated with liquor stores is probably more of where it is located and a reflection of the people who shop there. Other than that, nice article!

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    2. Here goes Lumberton making laws and rules, having no clue what they are, then doing exactly what they want to do anyway. Lumberton does not have any out of the norm ordinance prohibiting all alcohol. On the contrary, in their own municipal code they describe how to apply for a permit. i assume they just deny them all?

      Here is their own code: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=14441

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    3. You didn't read deep enough in the municicple code:

      Sec. 3-5. - Certain establishments prohibited.

      An establishment that derives 75 percent or more of its gross revenue from the on-premises sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited from operating within the city, in accordance with V.T.C.A., Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 109.57(d).

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  2. Exactly, the author of this article does not have a problem with this liquor store because it is outside the city limits and not in the city of Lumberton where the people voted against it.

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  3. Then what's the point of writing the article?

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  4. Also, you frame your last sentence as if everyone in Lumberton is hell-bent against alcohol, but I just read an article in the Beaumont Enterprise that said those 2 gas stations that sold did 2000$ per day in beer and wine sales. Weird...

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  5. I never said people in Lumberton are against alcohol or against drinking. Most people in Lumberton probably drink some alcohol at some point. They would just rather the alcohol sales (and potential problems) be a little down the road instead of on their street where their kids ride to dairy queen in back. the people voted on the issue and the people voted to keep it out. They could have voted for it but they didn't. I guess they like the community the way it is and the little bit of extra sales tax was not worth it to them in exchange for such a big change for the city away from a quiet bedroom community. It was their decision. that is Democracy

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  6. a strip club would bring in a bunch more than $2000 a day. Would Lumberton vote in favor of that? No! Not everything is worth the money

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  7. I guess a strip club isn't possible since it would be against city ordinances so it's not really relevant. Also the liquor store isn't by dairy queen. And I think it would be dangerous for a kid to ride a bike down the highway whether they pass a liquor store or not. I'm assuming most people like Mr. Bellow live in a bubble and really think that if there is no alcohol in a town then it actually is safer? What about the kid who was killed on the old silsbee hwy? Incidents like that show it doesn't matter if there is alcohol sold in a town or not. I suppose you want to ban all firearms to since they are sometimes used to kill people? Pick a better argument people...you're beating a dead horse with this alcohol thing

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  8. The good news is that I read the liquor store will have a drive thru. That's great for all the bible thumpers who won't want to be seen in the store. #backdoor baptists

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  9. LUMBERTON IS NOT A BEDROOM COMMUNITY!

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  10. a city ordinance can be changed with a vote of just a few men. People still drink in Lumberton and there is still crime and drunk driving incidents. No one denies that. No alcohol sales does help cut back on that. Some of those businesses do attract unfriendly people. Look at Lumberton compared to most other cities in se Texas. Firearms don't kill people, people use firearms to kill people. Alcohol alters your mind and causes you to do bad things and alcohol can kill people because it is a poison to the body. Guns will never cause someone to do something and will never kill someone just by having too many. The only way a gun can kill someone is if someone pulls the trigger. Typically the person who pulls the trigger is drunk or high. Speaking of being high, you argue that there are still drunk drivers in Lumberton even with no alcohol sales and therefore we should sell alcohol. I suppose you are also in favor of legalizing all drugs or murder. People still do drugs and kill even though it is illegal so we might as well legalize it. The point it that the people of a city have the right to decide what establishments are allowed to do business in their city. Most people in Lumberton might drink, but they like the liquor stores down the road.

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  11. Can any anti alcohol people make a understandable valid arguement?

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    1. No, bc none of their arguments are based on fact.

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    2. There have already been valid arguments made. Your side lost. How about that for an argument. The people voted against it. That is all the information you need to know. The people did not want it so they voted against it. Who cares why they didn't want it. Can you give me a valid reason why we should not follow the law and allow the people of a community decide what businesses they want in their community? You must like Obama because you sure like to try to force things on people instead of letting the people decide what they want for their community. you are like the guy who was arrested for going into Amish communities and cutting of the beards of Amish men. You just cannot accept that communities have a right to do what they want in their community, even if you do not like it or understand it.

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  12. So how far outside the city limits would you like the business Ted? I always thought a line was a line...that it didn't matter how far you were to one side of it as long as you were on the right side.

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  13. The city of lumberton voted dry. JP3 voted wet. I think the election was somewhat skewed bc only the bible beaters in the city limits got to vote. Not westwood, not people down wheeler road, not people down cooks lake rd or mitchell road. So get off your high horse of how everyone in Lumberton doesnt want it Ted. This will not affect you. It will not affect anyone. You don't like it then don't go to it. Also, I hope that you never shop or eat anywhere that has alcohol as a part of their business

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  14. Dude what are you talking about? I know it was only the city limits that voted. It was the highest election turnout ever for Lumberton so you cannot blame it on low turnout. All of Lumberton came out and voted and they voted against alcohol sales big time. I am fine with this store selling alcohol. It is not in the city and it is in a part of the county that voted to have it. I'm cool with it. I was just responding to someone who was talking trash about the people in the city limits because we don't want alcohol sales in the city limits. We drink, we just don't want bars and liquor stores coming in. It is fine down the road. Lumberton has grown and without it and is not hurting for money that comes with a price like this. Lumberton is a good community and very safe compared to other places. Why change a good thing?

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  15. I'm just curious if you have facts that say what the price is? You make it sound like a liquor store is a magnet for trash? The gas stations sold and nothing happened. And don't associate a liquor store with a bar...big difference. If you're so against alcohol then you should never shop at walmart, market basket, or heb...you should never eat at chillis, buffalo wild wings, novroskys. All these places sell alcohol. I'm saying that the vote is skewed bc half the people who live in lumberton live outside the city limits. They didn't have a vote. But a lot of them did in the jp3 vote and it won. So get over it...and if you're scared off all the dangers it will bring to the town then stay off hwy 69. God bless you!

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  16. People who oppose the sale of legal merchandise anywhere, are no better than people who oppose "In God We Trust" on our currency. God gave free will as a means to judge us, if you dont like alcohol dont buy it. If you dont like whats printed on our money, dont read it.

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  17. The Super Walmart on Dowlen in Beaumont attracts more undesireables than Spec's Liquor Store across the highway on any given night. I have shopped in both on the same night many times, Spec's makes Walmart seem like a zoo!

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  18. Yep, it makes more sense to have a drunk Lumberton resident drive 10 miles to get more beer than to have him walk a block for another six pack. You asses are a bunch of geniouses, glad I live in Fannett!

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  19. comparing liquor to God. Wow. You should be ashamed

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  20. The only thing im ashamed of is ignorant people who think being little nazi regulators make them holy.

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  21. The comment that came from the person that lives in Fannett is pretty right on, I COMPLETLY agree! I think the whole alcohol issues is rediculous! Alcohol is everywhere, like it or not..and lord knows we have hypocrites, the world is swarming with them, and so is Lumberton... And I'm pretty sure that most of the people that are arguing against havin alcohol in Lumberton are the same exact people that are guzzling down twelve packs on their back porch every weekend, or every night for that matter. This whole issue is stupid if u really think about it.The problem doesn't lie wthin having a liquor store in Lumberton, like I said before, Alcohol is everywhere, people drink in Lumberton, and having a liquor store here wouldnt change anytg!...and i don't mind in the least bit saying that some of you people are downright idiots lol!

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