DeKalb is built on active, persistent growth, but there is one market that has not been given the same opportunities to grow: the Class A liquor license market.

There are 16 Class A liquor licenses in DeKalb that can operate as a bar or a liquor store, said DeKalb City Clerk Donna Johnson. For example, both Jewel-Osco and Molly’s Eatery and Drinkery have Class A licenses.

The number of licenses was determined by the city council more than 30 years ago, she said. But the original city ordinance that determines how many Class A liquor licenses there are changed twice in the past 15 years.

The original city ordinance read “for every 35,000 people in DeKalb, there will be 16 Class A liquor licenses and for each 5,000 more, there will be another license added.”

This ordinance was changed after the 1990 census showed just more than 37,000 people were living in DeKalb, Johnson said. Two years later, the city council voted unanimously to increase the minimum population from 35,000 to 40,000 for additional Class A liquor licenses allowed into the city.

The ordinance changed again after a special census was taken of DeKalb in May of 2004 and showed 42,579 people living in DeKalb, she said. In response, the council raised the minimum population from 40,000 to 45,000 people for additional Class A liquor licenses.

According to the original city ordinance, there would be two more Class A liquor licenses available for use in DeKalb right now, Johnson said.

“Just because the population has increased in DeKalb does not mean there is a market for more Class A liquor licenses,” she added.

But the city council apparently did not take full advantage of all the advising resources available when making the vote to raise the minimum population in 2004.

The liquor commission was not consulted in the decision,” said Michael Embrey, member of the DeKalb Liquor Commission.

Existing Class A liquor licenses are one reason why the city council voted for the minimum population increase, he said.

But that’s the price of doing business, Embrey said. “The economy should dictate how many Class A liquor licenses should be available.”