05-06-13 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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WS – Item 4 WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item No. 4 Date: May 6 , 2013 To: City Council From: Julie Bartell Michael Grochala Re: Off -Sale Liquor Licensing Background At several recent council work sessions , staff presented informatio n on off -sale liquor restrictions in the city and surrounding communities. The information provided was a sample of what some other cities in the area are doing to regulate the number of off -sale liquor licenses within their borders. A map was also prese nted showing the location and types of off -sale licenses within the city. S taff reported that the most common regulations used by municipalities to restrict the number of off -sale lic enses are by proximity (how close one license may be to another) or by p opulation. The council requested that staff prepare an ordinance f or consideration that limits the number of off -sale licenses in this city by the proximity of one -half mile (without consideration of liquor stores outside the city limits ). Direction wa s also given to exclude from the restriction s off -sale locations that are not liquor stores (on/off sale combination, 3.2 percent off -sale, and off -sale growler). The council also asked for language to prevent licenses from being held solely for the purp ose of value and not for operation of a store. Currently licensed stores would be automatically exempt from the proximity regulation. At the April work session, questions arose about the impact that proximity regulations could have upon future economic d evelopment efforts. Based on that discussion, t he council directed the Community Development Director to research and provide an option for exempting certain area(s) of the city from proximit y regulation s. Based on staff’s review the City Council may want to consider simply restricting the number of licenses within a specified geographic area. For example rather than exempt an area the City could limit the number of licenses issued within the GB, General Business District zoning district lying north of 3 5W to the four currently issued licenses. Staff would need to work with the City Attorney to develop this language further. EDAC Review The City’s Economic Development Advisory Committee reviewed the proposed proximity provision at its April 4, 2013 me eting. The board recommended against the proposed changes. The board felt that the City should let market forces dictate the location of the proposed uses.