2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 16. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana › Chapter 4. License Administration › Part 2. All-Beverages Licenses › 16-4-203. Determination of public convenience and necessity

16-4-203. Determination of public convenience and necessity.
(1) An original license issued pursuant to 16-4-104, 16-4-201, 16-4-208, or 16-4-213 or the transfer of ownership or location of a license issued pursuant to 16-4-104, 16-4-201, 16-4-208, or 16-4-213 may be approved if the department does not receive the minimum number of protests required for a public convenience and necessity determination pursuant to 16-4-207, in which case the application must be regarded as a prima facie showing of public convenience and necessity and no further determination of public convenience and necessity is allowed.
(2) (a) If the department receives at least the minimum number of protests required for a public convenience and necessity determination, as provided in 16-4-207, an application must be approved when evidence indicates that the issuance of an original license or transfer of location will materially promote the public's ability to engage in the licensed activity.
(b) The issuance of an original license or a transfer of location will materially promote the public's ability to engage in the licensed activity if:
(i) the applicant's history and experience demonstrate the capacity to operate the proposed license in a lawful manner;
(ii) the approval of the application for the premises at the proposed location is consistent with the public's demand or probable demand for the licensed activity that presently exists or is reasonably expected to exist within the next 5 years in the quota area where the proposed premises is located and in quota areas adjacent to the quota area where the proposed premises is located;
(iii) the approval of the application for the premises at the proposed location contributes to the public's ability to participate in the licensed activity throughout the quota area where the proposed premises is located and quota areas adjacent to the quota area where the proposed premises is located;
(iv) the approval of the application for the premises at the proposed location is consistent with adopted or pending planning, annexation, and zoning ordinances of local governments that confer or will confer jurisdiction over business and developments such as the proposed license in the quota area where the proposed premises is located and in quota areas adjacent to the quota area where the proposed premises is located.
(3) Protests are limited to the operation of the alcoholic beverage license only. Protests related to gambling or other matters will not be considered by the department.
(4) When determining whether or not an application is justified by public convenience and necessity, the department may:
(a) receive evidence at the public hearing specified in 16-4-207 only from the applicant, any protestors whose protests the department has accepted pursuant to 16-4-207, and any other person summoned or called by either a protestor or applicant;
(b) find that the application is justified by public convenience and necessity if the applicant has provided substantial credible evidence as provided for in this subsection (4) that shows that the department's approval of the application will materially promote the public's ability to engage in the licensed activity. The substantial credible evidence required must include a consideration of each of the components of materially promoting the public's ability to engage in the licensed activity as provided in subsection (2)(b).
(5) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Confer or will confer jurisdiction" means the power or authority that a local government or an appointed subsidiary of a local government has or may obtain within 1 year from the date of the hearing to consider and adopt planning, annexation, or zoning ordinances.
(b) "Licensed activity" means the purchase of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption in a business licensed to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for on-premises consumption.
(c) "Pending planning, annexation, and zoning ordinances" means the ordinances of a local government or an appointed subsidiary of a local government that were publicly considered within the year preceding the date of the hearing or are presently being considered.
History: En. 4-403.1 by Sec. 2, Ch. 340, L. 1974; Sec. 4-403.1, R.C.M. 1947; redes. 4-4-205 by Sec. 120, Ch. 387, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 4-4-205; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 156, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 528, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 336, L. 2019; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 645, L. 2023.