Rule 42.12.146 - RESTAURANT BEER AND WINE LICENSE - PREMISES SUITABILITY REQUIREMENTS(1) The department shall determine the suitability of the premises where a restaurant beer and wine retailer proposes to operate a license when a party applies to obtain a license, transfer ownership interest in an existing license requiring the vetting of a new party pursuant to 16-4-401, MCA, change the location where a license will be operated, or make alterations to a premises with a floor plan that the department approved.(2) The premises of a restaurant beer and wine retailer may be considered suitable only if:(a) except as allowed in 16-3-311(1)(a), MCA, the applicant or licensee has possessory interest in the premises;(b) the applicant or licensee has adequate control over the premises;(c) a single alcoholic beverage license of any kind will be operated at the premises;(d) the premises are identified by a unique address;(e) the premises are located in one building or a specific portion of one building, except that a patio/deck may extend the premises beyond the interior portion of the building. The interior portion of the premises must comply with the requirements of 16-3-311(3), MCA. Subject to the exceptions in 16-3-311(8) and (9), MCA, if the premises are located in a portion of a building, the premises must be separated by permanent floor-to-ceiling walls from any other business, including any other business operated by the licensee. Except as provided in 16-3-311(1)(a), (8), and (9), MCA, the only access from the premises to another business may be through lockable doors in the permanent floor-to-ceiling wall;(f) building, health, and fire code approval is obtained;(g) the premises are located on regular police beats and can be properly policed by local authorities, which includes the premises being located on property to which law enforcement has unrestricted access;(h) the premises are not located where a local government ordinance prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages;(i) the type of business is readily determinable due to indoor and outdoor signage and the premises' general layout and atmosphere;(j) alcoholic beverages are advertised and displayed as being available for purchase;(k) there are no signs, posters, or advertisements displayed on the exterior portion of the premises that identify any brewer, beer importer, or wholesaler in any manner. This prohibition does not apply to temporary advertisements allowed under 16-3-244, MCA;(l) there is seating for patrons totaling not more than the seating capacity for which the premises are licensed;(m) there is an interior service bar. The premises may have more than one service bar, including service bars on the patio/deck, subject to department approval;(n) there is interior access to any interior portion of the premises;(o) all storage areas are located in the interior portion of the premises, except as authorized by 16-3-311(6), MCA;(p) the physical layout and equipment utilized provide sufficient physical safeguards to prevent the self-service of alcoholic beverages at any service bar; and(q) self-service devices and vending machines are not used to serve alcoholic beverages.(3) A patio/deck, authorized under 16-3-311, MCA, may be considered suitable only if: (a) building, health, and fire code approval is obtained;(b) subject to the exception in (c), the patio/deck is contiguous with and immediately accessible from the interior premises;(c) any path connecting the interior premises and the patio/deck is under the possessory interest of the licensee, is clearly marked, and the department determines that sufficient physical safeguards are in place to ensure proper service and consumption of alcoholic beverages; and(d) a perimeter barrier clearly marks where the service and consumption of alcoholic beverages are allowed.(4) If a licensee leases or subleases its kitchen, or another specified area within its premises, to allow another business entity to operate a business within the licensed premises, as conditioned in 16-3-311(1)(a), MCA, then the licensee shall ensure adequate safeguards are in place to prevent access to the alcoholic beverage inventory by the other business entity. The area leased or subleased by the licensee shall be clearly marked on the floor plan, a copy of which shall be submitted to the department.(5) A licensee which leases or subleases its kitchen, or another specified area of its licensed premises, must still meet the definition of "restaurant" and fulfill the license requirements of 16-4-420, MCA.(6) The premises must meet and maintain compliance with all suitability standards in place at the time the premises are inspected. The department may, at any time, verify that the premises remain in compliance with all suitability standards in place at the time the suitability of the premises was last determined. Upon determining that the premises do not meet all applicable suitability standards, the department may deny an application or take administrative action against a licensee, including license revocation.(7) The privileges granted under a license extend only to the premises depicted in the floor plan approved by the department. The licensee shall follow the process in ARM 42.13.106 for a premises alteration.Mont. Admin. r. 42.12.146
NEW, 2017 MAR p. 493, Eff. 4/29/2017; AMD, 2022 MAR p. 1932, Eff. 9/26/2022; AMD, 2024 MAR p. 2303, Eff. 9/21/2024AUTH: 16-1-303, MCA; IMP: 16-3-244, 16-3-309, 16-3-311, 16-3-312, 16-4-402, 16-4-405, 16-4-421, MCA