Ad-Hoc Committee: Liquor Ordinance Stalls Over Drafting Errors; Debates License Cap Policy

Will County Ad-Hoc Ordinance Review Committee Meeting | February 10, 2026

Article Summary: The Will County Board Ad-Hoc Ordinance Review Committee postponed a vote on the comprehensive update to the county’s alcoholic beverage code after discovering drafting errors regarding temporary licenses. The meeting sparked a debate on the county’s long-standing policy of capping liquor licenses, which currently limits the number of available Class A through Class D licenses to 56.

Liquor Ordinance Key Points:

• Ordinance Postponed: Ordinance #26-4240 (Chapter 110: Alcoholic Beverages) was tabled until next month to correct a text error where “Class T” (Temporary) and “Class GC” (Golf Course) license descriptions were identical.

• License Cap Debate: The committee discussed the current cap of 56 total licenses (Class A through Class D and Class F), with only 48 currently active, requiring new businesses to petition the board to increase the cap.

• Identification Rules: The committee discussed updating Section 110.073 to accept out-of-state identification, acknowledging that current text requiring an Illinois Secretary of State ID is outdated.

• Signage Costs: The committee retained the state-mandated limit of $893 for the value of outside signs provided by distributors to retailers.

JOLIET — The Will County Board Ad-Hoc Ordinance Review Committee on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, postponed the approval of Ordinance #26-4240, a massive update to Chapter 110 regarding alcoholic beverages, following the discovery of drafting errors and a debate regarding the county’s philosophy on limiting liquor licenses.

The primary technical issue arose regarding the definitions of “Class GC” (Golf Course) and “Class T” (Temporary) licenses found on page 14 of the agenda packet. Committee members noted that the text describing the Class T license erroneously included language limiting it to “daylight hours when the golf course is in use,” identical to the Class GC license.

“It’s a cut and paste that’s not in the right place,” Assistant State’s Attorney Phil Mock admitted. “I’ll fix that.”

The discussion shifted to the county’s policy on the number of available liquor licenses. Currently, Section 110.023 limits the total number of Class A through Class D and Class F licenses to 56. According to Mock, the board historically froze the number of licenses to ensure oversight.

“If a license is available, you have to give it to them,” Mock explained. By keeping the number of available licenses at zero or very low, any new business must appear before the County Board to request the creation of a new license, giving the board “control.”

Committee Member Judy Ogala defended the practice. “The community was complaining that they didn’t want to be like a ‘bar town,'” Ogala said. “This gives us the opportunity to know… otherwise it is available to whoever and we don’t have a control.”

However, Member Daniel Butler questioned whether the caps, some established as early as 1986, reflect current needs. “If anyone was figuring how many licenses were available, they would have done it based on the population,” Butler said. “It seems like they should adjust with the population.”

Member Sherry Newquist noted the potential legal pitfalls of arbitrary limits. “If applicants meet the criteria, you can’t really deny those licenses,” Newquist said. “You inevitably end up in a lawsuit.”

Mock stated that the County Executive’s office intends to bring a separate proposal to the board in the future to specifically address and potentially overhaul the licensing number system.

The committee also directed Mock to update Section 110.073 regarding proof of age. The draft required a “valid identification card… issued by the Secretary of State,” which members pointed out would technically exclude out-of-state driver’s licenses. Mock agreed to amend the language to include other valid state identifications.

A motion to postpone the ordinance to the March meeting was passed unanimously to allow for the corrections.