Posted September 15, 2016 - Harford Community College will be allowed to serve beer and wine at events held in four buildings on its campus, after Harford County's Liquor Control Board approved a special liquor license for the college Wednesday.

The new Class CC license, which was made possible by a state law passed in the 2016 Maryland General Assembly session, will let the Bel Air college offer beer and wine at the APG Federal Credit Union Arena, the Chesapeake Center, the Hays-Heighe House and the Student Center, Eric McLauchlin, a lawyer representing the college, explained during a liquor board meeting in Bel Air.

The new law allows the college to receive a master license for beer and wine sales at third-party events held on the campus, up to 25 per year. The license would not apply to school events or athletic events held on the campus.

Another law passed by the legislature earlier this year allows alcoholic beverage licenses to be granted for entities between 300 feet and 1,000 feet from a school, liquor board administrator Pilar Gracia noted. The liquor board must give such approvals, if the location is less than 1,000 feet from a school.

The arena is 815 feet from John Archer School and 623 feet from Harford Technical High School, for example, McLauchlin noted.
"The licensee itself is an educational institution," he said, explaining that, although Harford is alone among state community colleges in having such an large arena, larger colleges that have arenas in the state are permitted to serve alcohol at events.  The college will be required to post signs at events informing the public of the alcohol-related rules, such as requiring photo ID to be presented.