Despite a showing of approximately 500 neighbors at the November NPU-F meeting, Octopus Kitchen's alcohol permit process continues.

The Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) voted 429-4 to deny the license; however, the License Review Board (LRB) approved the license in a 4-2 vote on November 16 (see the final page). This vote for approval succeeded despite facts presented by our NPU Permits Chair that the business lacks adequate parking, the same owner was denied at another location, there is a history of violations at other locations managed by the applicant, and the intent via social media to operate hours later than stated on the application.

The license now heads to Mayor Bottoms for final approval.

You can help! We encourage neighbors to email Mayor Bottoms with the same reasons presented to the LRB as grounds for denial. The mayor's email address is mayorbottoms@atlantaga.gov and you can copy her executive assistant Angela Smith at AngelaSmith@atlantaga.gov.

Applicants are rarely denied by the LRB, whose members are largely appointed by the mayor. Why the LRB approves applications that are recommended as "Deny" by the local community through the NPU system is ridiculous – and illustrates a larger problem across Atlanta. It is up to neighbors to put pressure on leaders for legislative action.