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Columbus Officials Urge Liquor Permit Objections for Five Sites
Read the full articleThe Columbus City Attorney's Office is recommending objections to liquor permit renewals for five commercial sites, citing violence, shootings, drug activity, and repeat violations. If City Council objects, businesses continue operating while the state review proceeds.
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The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
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The Columbus City Council Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee held a liquor objections hearing on Nov. 5, 2026.
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Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee - Liquor Objections Hearing Minutes Meeting Minutes November 5, 2026
During the hearing, Assistant City Attorney Sophie Yano and Columbus Police Detective Vincent Miller walked the committee through the process and five recommendations.
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I will now turn the floor over to Assistant City Attorney Sophie Yano, joined today by Columbus Police Detective Vincent Miller, to walk us through the process and today's five recommendations.
The renewal objection process gives the city a way to bring documented concerns before the state and hold operators accountable.
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The renewal objection process gives the City a way to bring documented concerns before the state, hold operators accountable, and pursue improvements that make these properties safer.
City attorneys presented recommendations objecting to permit renewals at five establishments, while remaining willing to work with all five businesses.
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Today, we are recommending objections to permit renewals at five establishments. We remain willing to work with all five.
If City Council adopts objection resolutions, the businesses continue operating while state administrative proceedings advance.
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If Council passes a resolution objecting to renewal, the businesses continue operating while the state process proceeds.
At Thirsty's Pub, 5668 W. Broad Street, which holds D5 and D6 permits, records describe a consistent source of violence, including reports of shootings, shots fired, and assaults.
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Thirsty's Pub, 5668 W. Broad Street - D5 and D6 permits
At Thirsty's Pub, 5668 W. Broad Street, which holds D5 and D6 permits, records describe a consistent source of violence, including reports of shootings, shots fired, and assaults.
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Consistent source of violence, including reports of shootings, shots fired, and assaults.
At Thirsty's Pub, the Columbus Division of Fire responded to alcohol-related incidents on site.
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Thirsty's Pub, 5668 W. Broad Street - D5 and D6 permits
At Thirsty's Pub, the Columbus Division of Fire responded to alcohol-related incidents on site.
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Columbus Division of Fire has responded to at least six alcohol-related incidents.
Hearing records for Thirsty's Pub also cited license posting and sanitary conditions among its liquor violations.
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Thirsty's Pub, 5668 W. Broad Street - D5 and D6 permits
Hearing records for Thirsty's Pub also cited license posting and sanitary conditions among its liquor violations.
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Liquor violations involving license posting and sanitary conditions.
Detective Vincent Miller reported reviewing calls for service and recalled roughly 75 calls for service at Thirsty's, with the business itself calling only about twice.
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[Detective Miller] I review calls for service and any accompanying police reports, including who called and what the victim reported. Often, the establishment itself did not call, but the victim refers to the business or the person operating it. For example, I recall roughly 75 calls for service at Thirsty's, with the business itself calling only about twice.
Assistant City Attorney Sophie Yano noted that Detective Miller sent a nuisance warning letter, but she had not received any contact from Thirsty's at that point.
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[Assistant City Attorney Yano] We have reached out to many of these establishments and conducted on-site inspections. For Thirsty's specifically, I believe its landlord sent a letter after Detective Miller sent a nuisance warning letter. We have made ourselves available, but I have not received any contact from Thirsty's at this point. Detective Miller has visited the location.
At Shell, 1305 Harrisburg Pike, the business holds C1 and C2 permits.
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Shell, 1305 Harrisburg Pike - C1 and C2 permits
At the Shell location, city records documented 21 police reports and 108 calls for service over the past two years.
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Shell, 1305 Harrisburg Pike - C1 and C2 permits
At the Shell location, city records documented 21 police reports and 108 calls for service over the past two years.
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Twenty-one police reports and 108 calls for service in the past two years.
Records for Shell also cited the sale of tobacco to minors and repeated assaults, overdoses and drug incidents over the past two years.
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Shell, 1305 Harrisburg Pike - C1 and C2 permits
Records for Shell also cited the sale of tobacco to minors and repeated assaults, overdoses and drug incidents over the past two years.
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Sale of tobacco to minors.
Records for Shell also cited the sale of tobacco to minors and repeated assaults, overdoses and drug incidents over the past two years.
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High number of assaults, overdoses, and drug-related incidents in the past two years.
At Circle K, 2481 Petzinger Road, the property holds C1, C2, and D6 permits.
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Circle K, 2481 Petzinger Road - C1, C2, and D6 permits
At Circle K, officials reported an abnormal volume of overdoses and loitering on the property.
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Circle K, 2481 Petzinger Road - C1, C2, and D6 permits
At Circle K, officials reported an abnormal volume of overdoses and loitering on the property.
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Abnormal number of overdoses and incidents involving intoxicated individuals loitering on the property.
Records for Circle K also cite reports of drug sales on the property and several calls involving weapons documented on site.
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Circle K, 2481 Petzinger Road - C1, C2, and D6 permits
Records for Circle K also cite reports of drug sales on the property and several calls involving weapons documented on site.
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Reports of drug sales on the property.
Records for Circle K also cite reports of drug sales on the property and several calls involving weapons documented on site.
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Several calls involving individuals with weapons.
For Rama Food Mart, 334 N. 20th Street, records list C1, C2, and D6 permits.
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Rama Food Mart, 334 N. 20th Street - C1, C2, and D6 permits
Hearing records identified Rama Food Mart as a source of drug dealing and violent crime in the community.
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Rama Food Mart, 334 N. 20th Street - C1, C2, and D6 permits
Hearing records identified Rama Food Mart as a source of drug dealing and violent crime in the community.
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Source of drug dealing, drug use, and violent crime.
Officials also cited Rama Food Mart for numerous fire code violations and a liquor violation for drug possession on site.
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Rama Food Mart, 334 N. 20th Street - C1, C2, and D6 permits
Officials also cited Rama Food Mart for numerous fire code violations and a liquor violation for drug possession on site.
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Numerous fire code violations.
Officials also cited Rama Food Mart for numerous fire code violations and a liquor violation for drug possession on site.
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Liquor law violation for drug possession.
For Amoco (Marathon), 4755 Refugee Road, the business holds C1 and C2 permits.
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Amoco (Marathon), 4755 Refugee Road - C1 and C2 permits
Records for Amoco documented repeat violations of Columbus' tobacco laws and reports of drug-related issues at the property.
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Amoco (Marathon), 4755 Refugee Road - C1 and C2 permits
Records for Amoco documented repeat violations of Columbus' tobacco laws and reports of drug-related issues at the property.
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Repeat violations of Columbus' tobacco laws.
Records for Amoco documented repeat violations of Columbus' tobacco laws and reports of drug-related issues at the property.
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Several reports of drug-related issues.
The permit renewal objection process involves eight major steps: identification of establishments, investigation, evaluation, and recommendation to Council.
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The permit renewal objection process involves eight major steps: 1. Identification of establishments. 2. Investigation. 3. Evaluation. 4. Recommendation to Council. 5. Adoption of a Council resolution and submission to the Division of Liquor Control. 6. A public hearing held by the Division. 7. A decision issued by the Division. 8. An appeal process.
The Liquor Nuisance Abatement Group partners with police, fire and health officials to understand conditions at these properties.
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The Liquor Nuisance Abatement Group partners with police, the Ohio Investigative Unit, Columbus Fire, Columbus Public Health, Code Enforcement, and other agencies to understand conditions at these properties. Investigations consider liquor violations, narcotics sales, violent crime, overdoses, incidents involving alcohol or intoxicated individuals, and health and fire code violations.
Assistant City Attorney Sophie Yano stated that the city's evaluation considers the character of police calls, rather than applying an automatic numerical threshold, and encourages businesses to call police when help is needed.
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[Assistant City Attorney Yano] We review the circumstances of the calls and filter out routine special-duty check-ins. Our evaluation considers the character of the calls and the underlying safety concerns, rather than applying an automatic numerical threshold. We encourage businesses to call police when help is needed and do not treat the act of calling as a negative strike against them.
After City Council adopts an objection resolution, the city submits the measure to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control for state review.
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The permit renewal objection process involves eight major steps: 1. Identification of establishments. 2. Investigation. 3. Evaluation. 4. Recommendation to Council. 5. Adoption of a Council resolution and submission to the Division of Liquor Control. 6. A public hearing held by the Division. 7. A decision issued by the Division. 8. An appeal process.
After resolutions are submitted, officials wait until February for permit holders to apply for renewal before the Division reaches out to schedule a hearing.
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After the resolutions are submitted, we wait until February for permit holders to apply for renewal. It is then at least a couple of months before the Division reaches out to schedule a hearing. Most often, I first hear from the Division to schedule those hearings in August, September, or October. That leaves several months for permit holders to retain an attorney, contact us, and negotiate.
State regulators typically schedule public hearings in August, September or October, leaving months for businesses to retain counsel and negotiate improvements with the city.
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After the resolutions are submitted, we wait until February for permit holders to apply for renewal. It is then at least a couple of months before the Division reaches out to schedule a hearing. Most often, I first hear from the Division to schedule those hearings in August, September, or October. That leaves several months for permit holders to retain an attorney, contact us, and negotiate.
In nine out of 10 cases, the city files nuisance actions in Environmental Court to formalize agreements and make them court-enforceable.
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Nine times out of ten, we file a case in Environmental Court to formalize the agreement and make it enforceable by the court.
In other cases, the city uses settlement agreements in which parties agree to a permanent injunction if they violate settlement terms.
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In some other cases, we use settlement agreements in which the parties agree to a permanent injunction if they violate the settlement terms.
For liquor-permitted establishments, permanent injunctions establish ongoing requirements addressing safety, security, and conduct such as overserving customers or serving minors.
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A permanent injunction establishes ongoing requirements to stop the conduct that created the nuisance. For liquor-permitted establishments, those requirements address safety, security, and conduct such as overserving customers or serving minors.
Depending on the severity of the issues, the city may recommend a safety walkthrough, a temporary closure to reset conditions, or a period of 24-hour security paid for by the business.
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We start with a safety walkthrough. Depending on the severity of the issues, we may recommend a temporary closure to reset conditions or a period of 24-hour security paid for by the business. Other recommendations include removing objects people can sit on, removing or capping exterior outlets, and playing music that discourages prolonged loitering.
The city also recommends physical site modifications such as removing exterior seating, capping electrical outlets and playing deterrent music to prevent loitering.
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We start with a safety walkthrough. Depending on the severity of the issues, we may recommend a temporary closure to reset conditions or a period of 24-hour security paid for by the business. Other recommendations include removing objects people can sit on, removing or capping exterior outlets, and playing music that discourages prolonged loitering.
When an establishment fails to comply, city enforcement may include a daily fine until the business complies with requirements such as installing lights or cameras.
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That may include a daily fine until the business complies with requirements such as installing lights or cameras. If crime continues, we would most likely seek a one-year shutdown of the establishment and notify the Division of Liquor Control.
If crime continues at an establishment, prosecutors would seek a one-year shutdown and notify the Division of Liquor Control.
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That may include a daily fine until the business complies with requirements such as installing lights or cameras. If crime continues, we would most likely seek a one-year shutdown of the establishment and notify the Division of Liquor Control.