Taos Council continues Taos Valley Lodge beer-and-wine application to July 22 amid service-area concerns

The council continued a public hearing on a beer-and-wine restaurant liquor-license application for Taos Valley Lodge Hospitality LLC, located at 615 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, to the July 22 council meeting to allow the applicant time to respond to operational and enforcement concerns.

Lisa Cosper, the applicant’s representative, said the license sought indoor restaurant service only and that the patio was not part of the licensed premises. She said restaurant service would be table service tied to entrees and that servers would be trained in ID checks and in the licensed premises limits. "The patio is not part of the licensed premises," she said.

Council members raised repeated concerns about the physical layout: the restaurant and a reserved event space (the Enchantment Room) are separated by a public lobby with no clear physical barrier, and servers would have to walk drinks through the lobby to serve the Enchantment Room. Council Member Oswald questioned whether staff could reliably prevent customers from taking open containers into hotel rooms or to the patio; the town clerk explained that enforcement of service-area violations falls to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (ABC) and the licensee, not routinely to local police or code enforcement.

Town counsel recommended continuing the hearing so the applicant could consult with owners and consider additional operational measures—such as staffing to control access points, clear signage, and physical barriers—before the council acts. The applicant agreed to return on July 22 and was asked to have a client representative present. The continuation motion passed unanimously (Council Member Oswald: yes; Mayor Pro Tem Fambro: yes; Council Member Fernandez: yes; Council Member Ortega: yes). The clerk will work with the applicant to provide requested materials, including an updated menu.