La Plata, MD – It was all in a day’s work for the Alcoholic Beverage Board of Charles County, which met in La Plata Thursday, Feb. 12.

The board approved a transfer and reclassification from Joseph J. Wisnewski and Sumit Gupta, Waldorf Cigar Bar and Lounge LLC, The Tinder Box, 2754 Crain Highway, Waldorf, from a Class B – BWL (on sale only) to a Class B/T (Tavern) – BWL (on sale only) issued to Jeffrey Lustig, Joseph J. Wisnewski of Von Lustig Inc.

The board also gave approval to Yuk Chan Poon and Yeung Poon Luu of Sky Bar, 2290 Old Washington Road, Waldorf, for a transfer and reclassification of the alcoholic beverage license (from a B – BWL (on sale only) to a Class B/T (Tavern) – BWL (on sale only) issued to Yuk Chu Chan Poon and Yeung Ling Poon, Getaway Lounge, 2290 Old Washington Road, Waldorf.

John P. Beckman, Brett P. Rainwater and Luke H. Mudd representing Famous Dave’s Ribs of Maryland, 3046 Waldorf Market Place, Waldorf, requested a transfer of the Class B –BWL (on sale) BLX Luxury Restaurant alcoholic beverage license from Christopher M. O’Donnell, John E. Spoon and Luke H. Mudd, which the board approved.

A show cause hearing for Liyin Zheng a/k/a Liyin Cheng, Great Wall of Waldorf Cheng Corporation Inc., Joe’s Noodle House, 1302 Smallwood Drive, Waldorf, was held after it was determined that the Class B license holder, Liyin Cheng did not reside in the county.

As of Jan. 22, Great Wall of Waldorf vacated the premises and did turn in their alcoholic beverage license Feb. 2.

Cheng asked the county if there was fine involved.

“No,” chair Pamela Smith told Cheng. “You turned in your license, so it’s a moot point.”

Smith said the board is seeking to determine how to move forward in the wake of a new Maryland law passed last year requiring an increase in the distance between any school and liquor store to 1,000 feet.

License enforcement officer Judith Thompson said the general density of licensed establishments in the county is detailed in a map showing the density of schools and thee number of educational facilities within a 1,000-foot perimeter of licensed establishments.

Thompson said she is using a laser speed device to determine distance.

“My concern is, if it goes to a thousand feet, how am I going to provide information?” she asked. “If I’m asked to verify that distance, how am I going to do it? Some counties use GPS how they did it was wall to wall. We do it from the property line of a school to the nearest wall of that establishment.”

She added that while the board has not had any violation in the previous two meetings, her office is still conduction compliance checks throughout the county.

“Last month we had 39 compliance checks,” she said. “Out of those, 31 passed.”

Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com