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Liquor control asks city commission to draft ordinance for limited off‑sale add‑on license
Summary
The Fargo Liquor Control board voted to request that the City Commission direct the city attorney to draft an ordinance creating a limited off-sale add-on license (beer/wine), with proposed limits such as a 100-square-foot display, a 12-bottle per-transaction cap and a required 21-plus area.
The Fargo Liquor Control board voted to ask the City Commission to direct the city attorney to draft a proposed ordinance establishing a limited off-sale add-on license that would allow some on-premise food establishments to sell limited quantities of beer and wine for off-premise consumption.
Staff presented proposed parameters: the add-on would be issued only in combination with an existing license (not standalone); alcohol off-sales would be limited to beer and wine in small quantities; display/sale area would be limited to about 100 square feet; the off-sale area must be segregated and restricted to customers 21 and older; and the proposal included a suggested per-transaction cap of 12 bottles or cans. "The licensee would not be a standalone license...We talked about a square footage floor display to limit it to like about a 100 square feet," said Steve Sprague, licensing staff.
Why it matters: Supporters said the change would improve customer convenience and help small downtown restaurants increase sales without creating new full-scale off-sale businesses. Opponents and some commissioners raised concerns about blurring the line between on-premise and off-premise sales and the risk of unintended consequences. Commissioner Bob cautioned that loosening the distinction between on-premise and off-premise sales "could create issues" and suggested the drafting process allow ample time for review and for addressing unintended consequences.
Process and next steps: The motion approved by the liquor board asks the City Commission to direct the city attorney (Nancy) to draft a proposed ordinance and return it to Liquor Control for review before any final City Commission action. Steve said staff would arrange for stakeholders (proposers, retailers, and legal staff) to review draft language and that drafts would be circulated ahead of further discussion.
Key limits and clarifications discussed in the meeting: - Add-on only (must be paired with an existing license); not a standalone license. - Limit to beer and wine and to a small display area (approx. 100 sq ft). - Off-sale area must be a 21-plus section separated by the 100-foot rule where applicable. - Suggested transaction cap of 12 bottles/cans.
Ending: The board approved the motion to request drafting of an ordinance and asked staff to include stakeholders in drafting and to return the proposed ordinance to Liquor Control for further discussion before City Commission adoption.
