Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the Board may not issue a new license for an establishment whose entry is within 1,000 feet in a straight line from the entry of a place of worship or school. The prohibition against issuing a license in subsection (a) of this section does not apply to: the transfer of a license from the current license holder to a new license holder, unless the transfer would allow the sale of alcoholic beverages by another establishment within the 1,000–foot restriction; a nonprofit club or nonprofit organization; a restaurant that held a license at the time the restaurant was destroyed by fire, flood, windstorm, or other act of God, if a new place of worship or school has not been constructed within the 1,000–foot restriction; the issuance of a Class H beer and wine (on–sale) license or beer, wine, and liquor (on–sale) license; the issuance of a motel–restaurant complex or hotel–restaurant complex beer, wine, and liquor (on–sale) license; the issuance of a Class BLX (deluxe restaurant) (on–sale) beer, wine, and liquor license; the issuance of a gift basket permit; or the issuance of a Class B beer and wine (on–sale) license or Class B beer, wine, and liquor (on–sale) license for an establishment located within 1,000 feet of a school located at the Annapolis Mall. For an establishment that is within 1,000 feet of the grounds of a place of worship or school, the Board: may renew a license; may extend the area of the licensed premises; but may not change the operational classification of an existing license, unless the change is from a Class B, Class C, or Class D license to a Class H license.