MOORPARK STORE GETS PERMIT TO SELL LIQUOR.

Byline: Paul O'Donoghue Staff Writer

MOORPARK - Buttressed by petitions signed by more than 400 supporters, a food store has won the right to sell liquor despite objections that it is too close to a day-care center and school bus stop.

The City Council voted 3-1 Wednesday night, with Chris Evans absent, to allow liquor to be sold at the Handiest Food Mart in Varsity Plaza. The store is already licensed to sell wine and beer.

``I'm very, very happy and very glad after a long wait,'' said Tom Galicia, who presented petitions signed by 400 customers who supported his application.

``A lot of my customers would like us to carry hard liquor instead of going to distant places. Instead of riding into town and going to other places, they could buy it in the neighborhood,'' said Galicia, who has owned the store for 20 years.

But two neighbors asked the council to deny Galicia's request, because the store is close to a day-care center and school bus stop.

``Every day we have 75 children at the preschool,'' said Stacey Reynertson, owner of the Princeton Avenue Preschool.

``It's completely inappropriate to have hard liquor sold there, so close to children,'' she said. ``It's a bad combination.''

Questioned by council members, police and other officials said there had been no complaints about illegal consumption of liquor or other problems at the store.

In other action, the council:

--Directed the city manager to study expanding City Hall by 6,000 feet without using modular buildings, and present options for parking for the expansion.

--Agreed to acquire a site on the northwest corner of High and Magnolia streets as part of a plan to relocate the fire station from Moorpark Avenue.

--Renamed Science Drive, from New Los Angeles Avenue to Tierra Rejada Road, as Miller Drive.