Aug. 4—SALTILLO — The Saltillo Board of Aldermen has begrudgingly approved an extension to a local restaurant's exemption to the city's brown bag rules.

The nine-month extension, approved 3-1 on Tuesday night, will allow customers of A6 to continue bringing their own wine and liquor to the eatery. The Cajun restaurant owners Lee and Stephanie West plan to use the time to build a commercial kitchen and apply for a liquor license through the state. The couple currently cook out of a food truck.

"We want to have a self-sustaining kitchen and to have a larger menu," Stephanie West said. "We think will will have the project started within six months and feel confident the in nine months we will have it built."

The board was reticent to allow the extension, and alderwoman Sonya Witcher's motion nearly died for the lack of a second.

"As a restaurant owner myself, you rely on certain things to keep business," Witcher said. "I don't see why we shouldn't allow them to continue."

Alderman Scottie Clark said he was worried that the brown bag exception could set a precedent.

"Today's exception is tomorrow's rule," Clark said. "If we start making exceptions, we start getting on a slippery slope. What about the other restaurants who also don't have their liquor license?"

City attorney Chris Evans halted the conversation when he pointed out there was a motion of the floor that would die if it didn't get a second. Alderman Terry Glidewell seconded the motion and the board quickly voted.

Clark said his no vote was not against the Wests' business but the exception.

"If we want to make a brown bag rule for the city, I am willing to discuss that, not just doing it on a one-off basis," Clark said.

The Wests approached the board earlier this year about a brown bag exception for their business. No one spoke in opposition during a public hearing, so in late March, aldermen allowed a three-month exception during normal business hours Thursday through Saturday.

The owners said they usually have fewer than five people per weekend who take advantage of the exception. West added that it is mostly wine drinkers.

Instead of being a traditional restaurant, A6 uses a food truck for its kitchen and then has a physical dining room next to Bishop's BBQ Grill, just off Highway 145 in the Town Creek shopping center.

Under the temporary special exception, the restaurant cannot serve, store or keep any of the alcohol brought by customers. A6 will provide cups, ice and mixers. The customers pay a brown bag fee.

The restaurant has security at the door monitoring who brings in alcohol and polices the dining room to ensure no one drinks too much and that minors do not consume any alcohol.

When a customer leaves after their meal, they must take any unconsumed alcohol with them. One of the stipulations of the exception is that A6 must advise customers of the open container law. Under state law, it is illegal to carry an open container of alcohol in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

To avoid that problem, A6 provides "liquor doggy bags" for any unconsumed wine or liquor. The cost is included in the brown bag fee.

"You put the bottle in the bag and it seals," said Stephanie West. "If you try to open it, it rips. We decided to do that to keep the liability off of us or the city."

william.moore@djournal.com