Ray Collins spoke of losing beloved family members in a 2006 drunken-driving crash. Recovered alcoholic Katherine Bowman said Santa Fe is already "riddled with alcoholism." And Sweeney Elementary School Assistant Principal Georgia Baca put it this way: "Not in front of our school."

The three were among a dozen speakers who urged the Santa Fe City Council to deny the transfer of a liquor license to the Giant station on the corner of South Meadows and Airport roads.

And in the end, that's just what the City Council did in a unanimous vote.

"That was a brave move," said Shelley Mann-Lev, drug-prevention coordinator of Santa Fe Public Schools' Office of Student Wellness.

Recent studies on combating underage drinking show the density of liquor venues within a particular area has a huge impact on a school community when it comes to teen alcoholism, vandalism of school property, violence and binge drinking, Mann-Lev said.

There already are some 25 establishments with liquor or beer-and-wine licenses in that part of town near Sweeney Elementary School, she noted.

The council was slated to decide on the request for a liquor-license transfer from Western Refining Southwest Inc. (which owns the Giant station) at its March 31 meeting.

At that time, the council voted 5-4 to deny a liquor license to the new Walmart Supercenter, due to open later this year, and postponed the Giant decision.

The council's agenda noted that Giant was requesting a waiver of a state law restricting the sale of alcohol at businesses located within 300 feet of a school or church. However, Suzanne Odom, a lawyer representing Western Refining Southwest Inc., said Giant was not requesting a waiver because, by its own measurement, the convenience store is 377 feet away from Sweeney.

The city and school district maintain the actual distance between Sweeney and the Giant station is closer to 155 feet based on state statutes, which measure from property line to property line, not from building to building.

Councilor Carmichael Dominguez, who has voiced opposition to allowing more alcohol outlets on the south side of the city, made the initial motion to deny both the license transfer and the distance waiver.

"This is not a symbolic vote," said Councilor Patti Bushee in supporting Dominguez. "We should not exacerbate existing problems in this town."

She predicted the case might end up in court since Western Refining Southwest Inc. can appeal to the state to overturn the decision.

Contact Robert Nott at 986-3021 or rnott@sfnewmexican.com.