Sherburne County approves local liquor license but denies event and expansion requests for Boulder Creek Wine Bar

The Sherburne County Board of Commissioners approved a seasonal on-sale, off-sale and Sunday liquor license for Boulder Creek Wine Bar on a voice vote on May 6, finishing a state- and county-level approval process that had been stalled last year.

The license covers the period from May 22, 2025, through Aug. 18, 2025, and was presented to the board by county staffer Lorraine Rupp, who said: "This license would run from 05/22/2025 to August eighteenth of 20 25, which would then put Boulder Creek on our normal rotation for our liquor license." The motion to approve the license was moved by Commissioner Danielowski and seconded by Commissioner Felder; the board voted to approve the application.

Despite approving the liquor license so county authorities could enforce local rules, the board separately rejected two related land-use requests from the same property owner. After a public hearing with many neighbors expressing concerns about traffic, safety and noise, commissioners denied (1) an interim use permit to hold occasional special events and (2) a proposed amendment to the conditional use permit (CUP) that would have raised maximum attendance, allowed broader on-site food sales and permitted live music or amplified music.

Neighbors who spoke at the public hearing said the winery sits in a tight, family-oriented residential subdivision and raised concerns about traffic on a dead-end road, shared school bus stops, and vehicle and pedestrian safety. Tim Sockery, who identified himself as a neighbor, asked the board: "How would you vote if this bar was located next to your own home?" Pam Price, another neighbor, said she no longer takes her grandchildren for walks near the winery because of safety fears.

Owner Carol Zimmerman spoke in defense of the operation and its clientele. Zimmerman said the venue has been inspected by state and federal agencies and stated: "When I was at the Santiago township board, the sheriff was there, and the board asked if there were any, any, police, calls about our place, and there were 0 police calls about our place." She also described the winery's regular visitors as older adults and said many customers come with multi-generational family groups.

County staff and legal advisers told the board that the liquor license and the CUP are separate decisions. County Administrator Bruce explained the timing and legal context, warning the board of a statutory deadline: "We are under the extended 60 day rule... if you don't make a decision, it is automatically approved under state law." Lorraine Rupp and other staff explained that the county can enforce local conditions only if a local license is on file; otherwise enforcement options are limited.

Planning staff and the Planning Advisory Commission had recommended denial of the interim use permit and the board accepted that recommendation. Commissioners who voted to deny said the scale of the proposed expansion — including food trucks, broader retailing of prepackaged food and amplified live music — would be incompatible with the neighborhood’s residential character and risked undermining quiet enjoyment for existing residents.

The board's denial leaves the winery operating under the original CUP and its conditions; commissioners and staff clarified that the denial did not rescind the existing CUP. The owner may pursue other administrative remedies, but board members noted there is typically a waiting period before another amendment on the same subject can be submitted.

The outcome separates regulation of alcohol (a licensing matter) from land-use approvals. County officials said they approved the liquor license now so local authorities could more readily investigate and address any future operational violations, while stopping short of expanding the property's permitted uses.

The board’s actions combined the results of a lengthy public hearing, staff analyses, and planning commission recommendations. No formal vote tallies listing individual commissioner votes were recorded in the hearing transcript; outcomes were announced by voice vote.

What happens next: the Boulder Creek Wine Bar will operate under its original CUP and the new local liquor license. Any new applications to change the CUP or to add special events would need to return to county planning for review, and the record shows the board will weigh neighborhood impacts and enforcement records in future decisions.