DENIED: A divided Manteca City Council shot down a request by India Merchandise to sell beer and wine this week, the first such denial since 2002, over concerns that people might end up drinking in downtown parks.

MANTECA — The City Council has refused to let a downtown merchant start selling beer and wine, its first denial of a liquor license application since 2002.

By a 3-2 vote on Monday, May 5, councilmen rejected an application from Parminder Saini and Sucha Gill for an off-sale liquor license for their India Merchandise store, 118 W. Yosemite Ave.

Councilman Vince Hernandez led the opposition, arguing that the “proliferation” of liquor stores in downtown Manteca already makes parents feel insecure about bringing their kids to parks there.

“We want to be known as a family city,” said Hernandez, who voted earlier this year against liquor licenses for Costco and Wal-Mart.

But Councilman Jack Snyder followed with a motion to give the license to India Merchandise, which was seconded by Mayor Weatherford.

“How many bars were in the downtown area 15 to 20 years ago?” Weatherford asked. “This is a grocery store … (it’s illegal) if they take the alcohol down to Library Park.”

Councilmen Steve DeBrum and John Harris sided with Hernandez, voting against the application without comment. Both had previously voted for licenses for Costco and Wal-Mart.

Harris said later that his vote was specifically aimed at limiting alcohol in downtown Manteca, not the entire city.

“There’s an over-concentration of liquor licenses in the downtown,” Harris said. “Costco is on the outskirts.”

The last time the City Council turned down a liquor license application was in December 2002, when Mohammad Akbari asked to sell beer and wine out of the Cigarette Station convenience store at 265 W. Yosemite Ave.

Before discussing the issue, Hernandez asked Interim City Manager Karen McLaughlin to read out loud a letter protesting the application from Manteca resident Wendy Benavides.

“Two short blocks away is Library Park with ongoing problems with drinking and drugs, homeless campouts and gang activities and is the site of a children’s playground,” the letter read. “Please deny this application to sell alcohol and any other applications … to sell alcohol within one-half mile of Southside Park, Baccilieri Park and/or Library Park.”