Cass County approves conditional liquor-license process to allow applicants to begin without finished building

The Cass County Commission approved a new conditional liquor-license application allowing an applicant to secure county recognition of an in-process application after completing the first three steps of the state checklist: confirming property taxes are current, providing information necessary for the sheriff's office background check, and paying the application fee. County staff and the state's attorney's office developed the process to help applicants who seek assurance before making construction investments.

County Administrator Mr. Wilson and the State's Attorney's staff told commissioners that state statute requires multiple prescriptive steps for a full liquor-license application, including inspection by the local fire marshal; that inspection requires a physical structure. The conditional application is intended to acknowledge an applicant's progress through initial administrative steps but does not confer authority to sell alcohol or replace required inspections and approvals.

Attorney Kate Nauman, from the state's attorney's office, told the commission the City of Fargo had used a similar informal approach and staff recommended formalizing the option through the commission rather than leaving the practice unstandardized.

After discussion, including whether the property at issue was expected to be annexed by Fargo in the future, the commission voted to adopt the conditional-application process. Commissioners clarified the county's action is an administrative recognition of progress on an application and that the applicant still must complete all remaining statutory and administrative steps before sales may occur.

Ending: Staff will publish the conditional liquor-license application process and accept applications from interested parties; applicants still must secure full inspections, sheriff's office background clearance and any subsequent approvals before alcohol sales may occur.