(a) Unless a legal action relating to the license, applicant, or premises to be licensed is pending, the board shall decide whether to grant or deny an application within 90 days of receipt of the application at the main office of the board. However, the decision may not be made before the time allowed for protest under AS 04.11.480 has elapsed, unless waived by the municipality.

(b) The board may review an application for the issuance, renewal, transfer of location, or transfer to another person of a license without affording the applicant notice or hearing, except

(1) if an application is denied, the notice of denial shall be furnished the applicant immediately in writing stating the reason for the denial in clear and concise language; the notice of denial must inform the applicant that the applicant is entitled to an informal conference with either the director or the board, and that, if not satisfied by the informal conference, the applicant is then entitled to a formal hearing conducted by the office of administrative hearings (AS 44.64.010); if the applicant requests a formal hearing, the office of administrative hearings shall adhere to AS 44.62.330 - 44.62.630 (Administrative Procedure Act); all interested persons may be heard at the hearing and unless waived by the applicant and the board, the formal hearing shall be held in the area for which the application is requested;

(2) the board may, on its own initiative or in response to an objection or protest, hold a hearing to ascertain the reaction of the public or a local governing body to an application if a hearing is not required under this subsection; the board shall send notice of a hearing conducted under this paragraph 20 days in advance of the hearing to each community council established within the municipality and to each nonprofit community organization entitled to notification under AS 04.11.310(b);

(3) if a petition containing the signatures of 35 percent of the adult residents having a permanent place of abode outside of but within two miles of an incorporated city or an established village is filed with the board, the board shall hold a public hearing on the question of whether the issuance, renewal, or transfer of the license in the city or village would be in the public interest;

(4) if a protest to the issuance, renewal, transfer of location or transfer to another person of a license made by a local governing body is based on a question of law, the board shall hold a public hearing.

(c) Unless the grounds for the suspension or revocation are under AS 04.11.370(a)(4), board proceedings to suspend or revoke a license shall be conducted in accordance with AS 44.62.330 - 44.62.630 (Administrative Procedure Act), except that the licensee is entitled to an opportunity to informally confer with the director or the board within 10 days after the accusation is served upon the licensee. Notice of the opportunity for an informal conference shall be served upon the licensee along with the accusation. If an informal conference is requested, the running of the period of time specified in AS 44.62.380 for filing a notice of defense is tolled from the date of receipt of the request for the conference until the day following the date of the conference unless extended by the board. After the conference, the licensee, if not satisfied by the results of the conference, may obtain a hearing by filing a notice of defense as provided in AS 44.62.390. If the grounds for suspension or revocation are under AS 04.11.370(a)(4), the licensee is not entitled to notice and hearing under AS 44.62.330 - 44.62.630 on the merits of the suspension or revocation. However, the board shall afford the licensee notice and hearing on the issue of what administrative sanction to impose under AS 04.16.180.

(d) [Repealed, § 69 ch 101 SLA 1995.]