The Board of Liquor License Commissioners found Locals Only, 25 East Cross Street, in violation for conducting live entertainment without authorization on four separate dates and imposed a $750 fine for each violation.

Frank Charles, counsel for the licensee, made an admission with mitigation: he explained that a prior application for conditional-use live-entertainment authorization had not been perfected within the year required by zoning and that subsequent attempts to submit the conditional-use paperwork were frustrated by a new permit system. Chief inspector David McGinnis confirmed the permit file showed a TMP placeholder number but no completed application to trigger a BMZA hearing. Counsel and the owner told the board they had tried to navigate the city’s new online permitting but had not secured final zoning authorization.

The board stressed that repeated violations cannot be excused by administrative difficulties and that other nearby establishments operate under the same requirements. Citing the four violations (Aug. 3, Aug. 30, Sept. 16 and Oct. 5, 2025), the panel assessed $750 for each violation, with 30 days to pay. The chair urged the licensee to submit the live-entertainment application to the Liquor Board simultaneously while pursuing zoning authorization so the administrative processes can proceed in parallel.

Why it matters: The decision underscores that lack of completed zoning approval does not authorize continued live entertainment, and repeated infractions carry escalating penalties.