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Council adopts rewrite of Chapter 12 (Licenses and Permits), adds full-service retail outlet rules and other updates
Summary
The council voted to repeal and recreate municipal code Chapter 12, consolidating licensing rules, adding provisions for full-service retail outlets for producers, updating quota language and animal licensing, and removing the bicycle-licensing requirement.
The Common Council voted to repeal and recreate municipal code Chapter 12 (Licenses and Permits), adopting a comprehensive rewrite that reorganizes licensing rules into subchapters and adds new provisions for alcohol licensing, sidewalk cafes, animal licensing and temporary producer sales.
City staff summarized key changes before the vote. Ian (staff member) told council members the rewrite adds the quota calculation for intoxicating liquor reserve licenses, defines "premise" more precisely, establishes rules for temporary and full-service retail outlets for brewers/wineries/distillers (including a 4-day limit for temporary full-service retail outlets), clarifies curbside and online alcohol pickup procedures, and adds a lapse rule for licenses (operation for at least 100 hours in any continuous 90-day period to avoid lapse). The rewrite also consolidates sidewalk-cafe and sidewalk-display rules, makes permits year-round, and removes the bicycle-licensing requirement.
On animal licensing, the revised code defines licensed animals to include dogs, cats and pot-bellied pigs and sets limits (two dogs, two cats, two pot-bellied pigs, or four total). The draft also clarifies how service animals and emotional-support animals are handled for licensing and rabies vaccination (staff referenced the ADA definition for service animals and Fair Housing language for emotional-support animals).
Council discussion touched on enforcement and compliance. The police chief and other staff said the rewrite clarifies longstanding ambiguities and provides the city with consistent enforcement tools. Alderman Butchlick moved to approve the ordinance and Alderman Bergquist seconded; the council voted aye with no recorded opposition and adopted the rewrite in this meeting.
What changed and next steps: Staff noted that fees were not changed in this ordinance; fee schedule amendments would come separately. Some council members asked for a second reading; the city attorney said the rewrite could be adopted in two meetings or be adopted immediately with a two-thirds vote, but the council chose to adopt the ordinance at this meeting. Staff said that changes were vetted by clerk's office, police, public works and planning staff and that the code will be applied going forward.
