Carroll County Board of License Commissioners Meeting, February 11, 2026

The Board of License Commissioners met on February 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the Reagan Room of the Carroll County Office Building. The meeting included approval of routine event permits, discussion of renewal procedures and compliance checks, hearings on two new liquor license applications, and a legislative briefing on proposed changes to distillery and craft beverage laws.

Consent Calendar

• Approved multiple event permits for the City of Westminster, including wine stroll, beer and barbecue, oyster stroll, Selton canner, and a toast to Italy, all with state festival permits.
• Approved letters for Sykesville events (Maine on Vine, E.W. Beck's, passive discovery, and a third Friday/Saturday night out in the courtyard).
• Approved three one-day permit applications from Westminster: Mudders Run, Whiskey and Chocolate Pairing, and Fall Fest.
• All approvals were unanimous with no objections.

Discussion Items

• Renewal Packets & Compliance Checks: The board discussed the upcoming renewal cycle for 174 licenses. Packets will be hand-delivered starting February 2026, due back April 1, with a $50/day fine after April 10. A change to compliance check notifications was announced: violation reports will now be sent via email instead of postal mail to save time and money. The inspector reported he conducts about 15–20 checks per night, averaging 6 hours per week on underage checks (roughly 50% of his time). He noted that volunteers are sometimes hard to schedule due to competition with tobacco checks that pay cash. Last year establishments were checked three times; the goal is two to three waves per year.
• Annual Alcohol Retailer Seminar: Scheduled for June 17 (not June 4 as previously stated) at the Carroll County Fire Training Center, catered by Genie Bird Donuts.
• Case #6596 – Double Barrel Tasting Room (New Class D License): James and Ashley Ratino applied for a Class D beer and wine license at 73 W. Main St., Westminster. They plan a wine tasting room using an automated pouring system (Napa Technology). Discussion covered RFID cards vs. PIN-based access, drink and time limits (board suggested two drinks per 1.5-hour visit), food offerings (pre-packaged charcuterie boxes), and hours of operation (Tue–Wed 12–4, Thu 4–8, Fri–Sat 12–9). Character witnesses testified to the applicants' responsibility and passion. The board unanimously approved the license, with operational details (e.g., exact pour limits and time windows) to be finalized at a later meeting.
• Case #6598 – River Downs Golf Club (New Class C License): Clarinda and Rafiqul Islam applied for a Class C beer, wine, and liquor license for a golf club at 1900 River Downs Dr., Finksburg. The course will reopen in phases: driving range by March 1, full course by July 2026. The clubhouse restaurant (52 indoor seats, 4 outdoor) will serve a limited menu. The applicants noted a planned junior course and community engagement. Zoning administrator requires a variance for the restaurant (hearing scheduled for February 24). Health department had minor findings (cleaning, peeling paint) to be resolved. Character witnesses supported the application. The board approved the license conditionally upon receiving the zoning variance and passing all required inspections.
• Legislative Briefing (Jennifer Yang, Covalent Spirits): Yang presented two proposed Carroll County bills: (1) adding food service to the existing distillery on-premises consumption permit (class one; fee $50), and (2) creating a new Class L license allowing Maryland manufacturers to sell other Maryland craft beverages for on-site consumption (fee $250). Board members expressed support for both bills while recommending they be merged into one and clarifying that only state-licensed Maryland manufacturers are eligible. Concerns were raised about the low fee for Class L compared to other licenses, and about maintaining the three-tier system. The board voted to support both bills with those recommendations. Sponsors on the state side are Delegates Jared Solomon and Don Guile.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous approval of all event permits and one-day permits for Westminster and Sykesville.
• Approval of Case #6596 (Double Barrel Tasting Room Class D license) with operational specifics to be set later.
• Approval of Case #6598 (River Downs Golf Club Class C license) conditioned on zoning variance and final health inspection.
• Motion carried (3-0) to support both proposed legislative bills (food at distilleries and Class L license) with recommendations for consolidation and language clarification.
• Next regular meeting scheduled for March 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.