Fargo liquor board approves minutes, staff outlines new special-event permit and epermit plan

The Fargo Liquor Control Board approved the minutes of the Dec. 17, 2025 regular meeting and received an update on a new special-event and street-closing permit process intended for off-site City of Fargo liquor license holders.

Angie Barrett, city licensing staff, told the board the special-event committee is developing an application that will require applicants to provide state licensing information. "They will need to provide their state license or their special event state license number to us," Barrett said, adding that organizers will obtain a permit through the city office and that "it wouldn't be a liquor license." Barrett said fees and specific application language are still under discussion and that the committee hopes to bring a draft to the City Commission in March.

Board members asked for clarification on fees, interdepartmental coordination and whether the city or state process would be the controlling review. The board discussed whether out-of-town vendors (for example, from Bismarck) would need to provide state documentation and whether the new form would streamline on-site verification for police.

The board approved the meeting minutes after a motion and second; the chair announced the motion carried. Barrett said staff will continue drafting application language and work with other departments before presenting a formal ordinance or policy to the commission.