09-27-2023 Workshop Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE WORKSHOP MEETING CITY COUNCIL LITTLE CANADA, MINNESOTA JANUARY 12, 2022 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a Workshop meeting of the City Council of Little Canada, Minnesota was convened on the 12th day of January, 2022 in the Conference Room of the City Center located at 515 Little Canada Road in said City. Mayor John Keis called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and the following members of the City Council were present at roll call: CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Keis, Council Members Fischer, Torkelson, McGraw and Miller. Absent: None. ALSO PRESENT: City Administrator Chris Heineman and City Clerk/HR Manager Heidi Heller. DISCUSS AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 802, TOBACCO PRODUCTS The City Clerk/HR Manager stated that last summer when the tobacco license renewals were being considered, Council members stated that they would like to consider amendments to the tobacco code. She reported that Council questioned why the City was still issuing licenses for tobacco product sales when there is so much information about how harmful tobacco is to public health. She explained that Little Canada has two types of tobacco licenses: Tobacco Store or General Sales & Display. The tobacco store license is for a business whose primary business is tobacco products, and the sales & display license limits the amount of square footage in the store that can be dedicated to tobacco products. This license type is for retailers like a gas station or liquor store. The City Code limits the number of tobacco stores licenses to two, but has no limit on the number of sales & display licenses that can be issued. There are currently five general sales licenses issued and two tobacco store licenses. The City Clerk/HR Manager explained that this is the first discussion for staff to receive feedback to see if Council is interested in making any changes to the tobacco products chapter of the City Code. She stated that if Council would like to proceed with any changes, staff would notify the current tobacco license holders in order to give them an opportunity to review potential City Code changes and comment on the changes. Discussion ensued and all Council members agreed that they wanted to end the indoor smoking and limit tobacco licenses. They opted to not restrict flavors or add point of sale requirements at this time. There was Council consensus to amend Chapter 802 by adding a limit of zero tobacco general sales & display licenses and zero tobacco store licenses, but allowing existing licensed business owners to have their tobacco licenses renewed as long as they remain in compliance with City Code; and ending the allowance of indoor smoking on June 30, 2024. Direction was given to staff to move forward with drafting an ordinance with these amendments, and notify the seven current tobacco licensees of the proposed changes and the date when the ordinance will be scheduled for City Council consideration.