12/14/2011 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • • PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AGENDA ITEM 6A STAFF ORIGINATOR: Paul Bengtson MEETING DATE: December 14, 2011 TOPIC: Business Licensing — Certificates of Occupancy — Non - Conforming Uses VOTE REQUIRED: None — Discussion Only INTRODUCTION On December 5, 2011 the City Council discussed a request to license massage therapists. The State does not currently do so, but the Department of Health has provider conduct standards that include disciplinary action for non - compliance with those standards. Funds for enforcement of those standards are very limited though. In order to control provider conduct and provide health and sanitation standards, some cities have entered into the traditional State domain of health -care licensure by enacting ordinance that require massage therapy licensing. This allows law enforcement officers to identify legitimate providers. The City Council asked that the Planning and Zoning Board be consulted on the issue of massage therapy licenses and licensing of all businesses that operate within the city. Staff would like to expand that conversation to include not only business licensing, but the process of certificates of occupancy and the benefits that both would have on the enforcement of the zoning ordinance and building code. BACKGROUND Business Licensing The city currently issues business licenses to only selected businesses, and could easily expand that list to include massage therapists. The benefit to doing so would be regulating a business that is currently operating without sufficient state enforcement, with minimal effect on business owners in the city. Businesses currently licensed by Lino Lakes: • Beer Off -Sale • Beer On -Sale • Club • Liquor On -Sale • Liquor Off -Sale • Wine • Cabaret • Dances • Gambling • Secondhand Goods Dealer • Pawn Shops • Peddler, Solicitor, Transient Merchant