After review, Sherburne County approves liquor license for Boulder Creek Wine Bar despite neighbor objections

Sherburne County commissioners voted to approve a liquor license for Boulder Creek Wine Bar after staff said the business was operating in compliance with its conditional-use permit and after months of public comment and written submissions from neighbors.

County planning staff reported a site inspection and observations that the winery was closing operations at the conditional-use permit's required time, though vehicles were observed leaving as late as 6:30 p.m. Planning and zoning staff said the county attorney and zoning administrator interpret the CUP closing time to mean close of operations; staff said they would continue to monitor the site and communicate with the licensee about "last call" practices to avoid vehicles leaving later than the intended closing time.

County staff also told the board that law-enforcement activity observed in the neighborhood was not related to the wine bar. The auditor-treasurer, who oversees state liquor licenses locally, told commissioners that there was not a legal basis to deny the liquor license application.

There have been prior proceedings tied to a conditional-use permit and interim-use permit related to the property; the board previously denied certain land-use applications while the site continued to operate under an existing CUP. The liquor-license item before the board was a separate administrative application for the annual license.

During public comment, Carol Zimmerman, who owns and operates Boulder Creek Wine Bar, described the business as a small, family-owned winery open about 10 weekends a year and called it "not a late night bar or a high traffic venue." John Alforts and several township representatives had appeared in support on the record; county packet materials also included a petition in opposition and other public correspondence.

Commissioner Paul Felber moved to approve the liquor license; Commissioner Danielowski seconded. Commissioners discussed the packet materials, town board support for the license and county staff's site visit findings before voting to approve.

Why it matters: liquor licenses and conditional-use permits intersect county land-use authority and state liquor licensing rules. The county approved the license after staff found no regulatory basis to deny it, while preserving the ability to take enforcement action if the CUP is violated.

Discussion vs. decision: the board separated the CUP/IUP land-use decisions (previously considered and denied in part) from the liquor-license administrative decision; staff emphasized the distinction and said enforcement would follow the CUP if needed. The license approval does not preclude future enforcement actions if the winery operates outside CUP conditions.