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Residents file lawsuit to fight liquor sales in Davenport neighborhood

Davenport’s Zoning Board of Adjustment faces a lawsuit from some West End residents who don’t want to see liquor sales in their neighborhood.

Davenport's Zoning Board of Adjustment faces a lawsuit from some West End residents who don't want to see liquor sales in their neighborhood.

The fight centers around a small building at 1530 West 4th Street in Davenport. Brothers Ramadan and Mohammed Farraj, who own downtown's Central Grocery and Hilltop Grocery on Harrison Street, want to sell food, alcohol and some household items out of the vacant space.

"It's a ma and pa little convenience store," said Farraj.

Farraj said he needs liquor sales for his store to succeed, but like the other shops, this one would only be allowed to have 35 percent of its floor space dedicated to alcohol.

Neighbors, though, say the business will be a liquor store, and worry alcohol sales will only bring more problems to the area.

"This is the wrong place for this business. These guys that want to do it, they may be the best proprietors in the world. Go get the best location, don't come down and disturb this residential neighborhood," said Jeffery Weindruch, a real estate broker who, with his mother, owns property just two houses down.

In July, Davenport's Zoning Board of Adjustment denied a special use permit for the property, then reversed that decision a month later and gave approval.

Now, Weindruch and neighbor Alan Ouderkirk have filed a lawsuit against the ZBA, chairman Bruce Bleke, and Farraj, asking a judge to step in.

They've also opened an account at Ascentra Credit Union for legal fees.

"We don't want liquor. We don't want it. We live in the neighborhood, we see what goes on. I'll tell you this right now -- you can't be calling a police officer down here every time somebody's intoxicated and staggering or lying down," said Ouderkirk.

The building, surrounded on three sides by residential homes, is now also surrounded by yellow "No Liquor Store" signs. Neighbors cite traffic, parking, late hours, property values, and children in the neighborhood as some of their numerous concerns.

Farraj, though, says he could help the area.

"I think it'd bring more security to the building, because there will be more lights up in that area, and there will be a business there where people won't be hiding behind the building," said Farraj. "That neighborhood looks like it's dying. It needs something to bring it back to life."

Before alcohol sales could begin, the City Council would still have to issue a liquor license for the business.

That item hasn't yet been placed on a council agenda.

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