Changes to DeKalb’s liquor code may be on the horizon.

The DeKalb City Council is considering greatly reducing the number of license classifications.

“Right now, we have over 20 classifications,” said Kris Povlsen, DeKalb mayor and liquor commissioner. “We want to get that number down to somewhere between six and eight.”

The large number of license types is caused by the current liquor licensing process.

“We wanted to be business-friendly,” Povlsen said. “If a business came in with an application, but didn’t quite fit one of our existing classifications, we would create a new one. We never really denied anyone with a responsible plan.”

The application process would remain the same, but there would be fewer types of licenses.

The licenses would carry more general categories to simplify the process and reduce the number of license types, Povlsen said.

The City Council would need to pass an updated ordinance for these changes to be made, said City Attorney Dean Frieders.

Current license holders would be able to use their existing licenses even if the ordinance passes.

“There would be a time in which they can use their old licenses,” Frieders said. “When the time came for them to renew their licenses, they would do it under the new ordinance. Liquor regulation is important.”

This potential change was prompted by a close reading of the existing liquor code. The issue will continue to see debate in the future.