A proposed beer distributor in the city is being opposed by some residents and churches in its neighborhood.

Jai Ambe Maa Inc. has applied for a malt beverages distributor license for the former Culligan office building, 300 W. New Castle St.

The license is a transfer from Dutton Beer Distributor, 344 N. Cedar St. That was owned by Richo, Inc.

But two churches and some residents in the neighborhood of the new location disapprove of the transfer.

“We don’t think it’s a good idea,” said Pastor Bob Huber of the North Street Christian Church.

He said representatives from his church and from the First Baptist Church on West New Castle Street attended a state Liquor Control Board meeting Wednesday morning to protest the proposed license.

In addition to the churches, 25 residents near the site signed a petition against the distributor.

The meeting was at the Butler Township Municipal Building.

Huber said churches, schools, and other establishments within 300 feet of a proposed liquor establishment have the right to appeal the license as can residents who live within 500 feet.

“It’s 40 feet from the end of our parking lot to the corner of their lot,” Huber said of the proposed distribution site.

The two churches do not like the idea of the distributor in the neighborhood because both have schools for young children and both offer ministries for people battling addictions.

“It would just be too close to our facilities,” Huber said.

Rocco Sloboda has lived next door to the former Culligan building for more than 40 years.

He has concerns about lights from the business hitting his home and about the crowd the distributor may bring to the neighborhood.

“I can’t believe they would even consider this,” he said. “It’s nonsense.”

Sloboda said he heard at the meeting that the distributor would be open until 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

“This is a nice, quiet neighborhood,” he said. “This would disrupt the whole neighborhood.”

Huber said the meeting Wednesday was for information gathering, and that no decision was made. He is not sure how long it will take the state to decide on the license.

The state said in an e-mail that the case is pending.

“Once the recommended opinion is completed by the hearing examiner, the application will be presented to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board for its decision,” said Shawn Kelly, a spokesman for the state, in the e-mail.

The Liquor Control Board will decide whether the establishment will harm the health, welfare, peace and morals of the neighborhood within a 500 foot radius of the proposed distributor.

Jateen N. Patel is listed as the president of Jai Ambe Maa Inc. No other information on the company was available on the state’s general license information listing.

This is the second controversial establishment on West New Castle Street to come up in as many months.

City council in July approved a methadone treatment clinic to operate its facility in the 100-block of the street. That decision was made on a 3-2 vote by council.

The street also is home to the city police and fire stations.