Mastering On-Sale Alcohol Business Approvals, Conditions, and Onboarding
A Practical Workshop for City Officials Who Want Fewer Alcohol-Related Problems
Approving and managing on-sale alcohol businesses is one of the most challenging responsibilities for city officials. Poorly managed establishments can create ongoing problems—violence, DUIs, nuisance complaints, and excessive calls for service.
This 2-hour Zoom workshop provides city officials with practical, proven strategies to approve, condition, and onboard on-sale alcohol businesses in ways that improve both public safety and business performance.
Workshop Details
Next Session: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Duration: 2 Hours
Location: Live via Zoom; link emailed after registration
Certifications: POST certified and AICP certified
Tuition:$330 per student
City Rate:$990 flat rate for a city, maximum of 10 students from that city
Who Should Attend
This workshop is designed specifically for professionals who are responsible for reviewing, approving, or monitoring on-sale alcohol licenses:
- City planning officials
- Law enforcement personnel
- Code enforcement officers
- Planning commissioners
What You Will Learn
Conditional Use Permits and Entertainment Permits: Why Traditional Approval Practices Often Fail
Cities rely on standard conditions and traditional processes that fail to prevent problems.
- Limitations of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control
- The “Alcohol Footprint:” and how mismanaged businesses become a net negative for your city
- The root causes of mismanaged on-sale alcohol businesses
Strengthening the Application Process for Conditional Use Permits and Entertainment Permits
Learn how to modify your city’s application process so expectations are clear to the operator before a business opens.
- Editing your application packages to focus on practices that reduce alcohol harms
- Using scripted talking points for planners and law enforcement that clearly communicate expectations to applicants and ensure that key points are echoed throughout the approval process
Writing Effective Conditional Use Permit and Entertainment Permit Conditions
Many conditions look strong on paper but fail to influence real-world operations.
- Model operating standards
- Proven language for conditional use permits, and entertainment permits
- Conditions that prevent problems before they start
- Tools to address repeat problem on-sale alcohol businesses
Reinforcing Your City’s Expectations at Hearings and Pre-Opening
Public hearings and pre-opening meetings are critical opportunities to set expectations for business operators.
- How planning commissioners can reinforce operational expectations for on-sale businesses
- Scripted commissioner talking points for the public hearings
- How to reinforce operational expectations clearly
- How to structure pre-opening meetings between city staff and new alcohol business operators
Post-Opening Oversight of Alcohol Businesses That Works
Successful cities maintain communication after a business opens.
- Post-opening meetings with law enforcement, management, and security staff
- Scripted law enforcement talking points for meetings
- Enhanced Bar Checks (“EBCs”) and their value to law enforcement
- Using the Best Practices for Nightlife Establishments guide to partner and build trust with business operators and reduce violence to improve operations
Included Resources
- Course workbook
- Scripted talking points for your key meetings with applicants, with messaging echoed in conditions of approval
- Access to the Best Practices for Nightlife Establishments digital booklet — a practical guide that helps businesses reduce violence and disorder, lower calls for service, improve or establish management practices, and operate more profitably
- Permission to distribute the booklet to newly approved on-sale establishments as part of your onboarding process
Recommended by Experts
“These data-based Best Practices are a win-win resource for cities and the hospitality industry, with good outcomes for the public.”
— Manuel R. Espinoza, Former Director, CA Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
“This is an accessible, convenient guide that provides powerful, practical resources for nightlife establishments in California’s retail alcohol community.”
— Friedner D. Wittman, Ph. D., M. Arch., President, CLEW Associates / Prevention by Design
“An invaluable tool for any alcohol serving entertainment establishment wanting to prevent disorderly conduct and other nuisance-related problems.”
— Michael Sparks, President, Sparks Initiatives
“Distribution of Best Practices for Nightlife Establishments would enable municipalities to be proactive in helping businesses, saving lives, and reducing police calls for service.”
— Ralph B. Saltsman, Solomon Saltsman & Jamieson Law Firm
Your Instructor
Gregg Hanour
Gregg Hanour is the co-founder and partner of DrinkWise America, which provides ABC-certified alcohol training. He also conducts workshops in Advanced Bar Management, Best Practices to Prevent DUIs, and Professional Security Practices.
Gregg has trained city officials including law enforcement in the POST- and AICP-certified course, Nuisance-Free Bars.
He and former ABC district administrator Lauren Tyson are the founders of Alcohol Best Practices and co-authors of Best Practices for Nightlife Establishments.
His books, The Optimized Bar—Profits by Design and A Business Approach to Reducing Drunk Driving , are available on Amazon.
Help your city prevent alcohol-related problems before they start
Register for this live 2-hour Zoom workshop and leave with practical tools your team can apply immediately.
