The years-long fight over alcohol sales in Collingswood is headed to its final test: a public vote that will determine whether the borough remains dry.
Collingswood commissioners unanimously voted Wednesday to allow residents to choose whether liquor licenses should be permitted within the borough's boundaries. Voters will answer the question in a binding referendum on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
Collingswood has banned the sale of alcoholic beverages for more than 100 years. Dry towns prohibit the sale of alcohol, though residents may still possess and consume it.
The resolution calls for a binding referendum, which means commissioners are obligated to adopt local ordinances permitting alcohol sales if enough voters endorse the proposal.
If voters reject the proposal, it will be off the table for at least four years.
Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward said the borough is scheduling a town hall in October for commissioners to field questions and concerns from residents.
"We want to make sure you get the information from us on what is real, what is not real," Solano-Ward told residents attending Wednesday's meeting.
For Collingswood, a borough of just under 14,000 residents, lifting the ban could allow the borough to issue roughly three consumption licenses for bars and restaurants, plus one distribution license for a liquor store.
Under New Jersey law, towns can award one consumption license per 3,000 residents and one distribution license per 7,500 residents.
Collingswood would become the latest Camden County town to end its ban on licensed establishments that serve alcohol.
Residents of Haddon Heights, which had been a dry town for about 120 years, overwhelmingly voted to approve alcohol sales on a similar election ballot question in 2024.
The proposal is a stark contrast to other dry towns in South Jersey like Ocean City, which has kept its prohibition on alcohol sales intact for over 100 years.
About 30 towns do not offer liquor licenses, the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association previously said. The organization did not respond to a request for comment.
Despite its dry-town status, Collingswood permits some alcohol-related businesses through exceptions in state law. New Jersey-produced wine may be sold in certain circumstances, and breweries may operate under separate state licensing rules recognized by borough ordinances.
One such business, Devil's Creek Brewery, introduced craft beer within the borough's limits in 2016. The opening encouraged prospective business owners to contact borough officials about opening breweries, distilleries and wine-tasting rooms.
Gov. Phil Murphy proposed expanding the number of restaurant liquor licenses in New Jersey in his 2023 State of the State address. Murphy ultimately signed a law that tweaks the system, falling short of a major overhaul.
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