Agenda - Council - 11/24/1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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] made an mqmn' a'ith the Minnesota Liquor Control Commission in the hopes that an agent there may have been fanfiliar with local requirements for a minimum amount of space, however, nobody there could t¢!i me[ anything. The State has no such requirements. Therefore, I have [no sound idea as to why the City of Ramsey has this requirement in its CiTy Code. I would speculate that it has something to do with the fact that the City has greater regulator), powersi over liquor establishments historicallv in that a liquor license is considered a privilege and hot'a,' right. If a city can be in the liquor business itself and derive a profit, however skimp)' it mi~y~- be, ~if that city decides not to be in the business and not get that profit, then perhaps the)' want tO [be aJssured that those who are licensed have a "quality" establishment that will continue to _l:~'ingiin tax dollars equal to or exceeding the profit the city would make from ownership. ;I ~;hottld add that some communities set their license fees based on square foot sizes, however, this ~pp~ars to be for on-sale businesses. From a poli¢it~g standpoint, I have not found off-sate liquor stores to be problematic, directly, in the we get fe*, calls requiring police response to the current establishments we have. It could be said that them.'; are ~mblems stemming from the consumption of their product, but that is a much wider soci,al~ ~obl~m and the absence or restriction of off-sale businesses in Ramsey would not deal with th°s~ effects. At the AugUs[ 25,[1992 City Council meeting, Staff was instructed to bring this case before the Planning and Zoning Commission for their review and recommendations. The principal body of this case wal; 1;hat g,hich was presented to the CiD' Council on August 25, 1992. I will be peseta at the meeting~if the Planning and Zoning Commission has any questions. In addition, Ojty gode also requires that off-sale liquor stores be "new construction", with ne,a, construction Beingidefined as a building never before ,o,c. cupied. Staff is of the o¢inion that this request is excessive. The impact is that existing vacant o, future vacant buildings in'the appropriate zone could noi: be .~cupied by an off-sale liquor store. Recommendation: If the CommiSSion lis of the opinion that the 4.000 square foot minimum area and new consnmction requiremem for o/~'f-sale liquor stores is excessive, then the Commission should forward a recommendatiJ0n tO Cin' Council to amend City Code to reduce or eliminate these reouirements. Tn:s amenrrment !would not t)e subject to a public hearing by the Planning af~d Zoning Comm/ssion~ as re.~ularions for liquor ~ales is not part of the Zoning Chapter. Commission ~ Action: \Vil! be based on v~ur discussion. Reviewed By: Police Chief: Zoning_ Adrninisrra~or PZ: 10/06/92 z