City Council Meeting Date: December 2, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Jeff Schroepfer, Chief of Police
Subject:
TITLE
Consider approval of Tobacco License Renewals.
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves tobacco licenses as shown on Attachment 1, subject to successful completion of all background checks and receipt of all final documents.
Summary Report:
The City received 12 applications for tobacco license renewals as shown on the attached list. Licenses are valid until December 31. The Police Department has conducted background checks. Licenses will be issued upon successful completion of all checks and receipt of any outstanding documents.
Renewal paperwork has yet to be received from one licensee, Dollar General, and therefore their license will not be renewed at this time. They will be unable to sell tobacco products beginning January 1 until approval by the City Council.
Two compliance checks are done annually for each license holder by the police department. In 2025, one compliance check was completed in May which was paid for by a State grant and considered an educational check. With these checks, if individuals are cited for selling to an underage individual, they will receive educational literature and not be charged for the check. Northfield Inc. dba Downtown Tobacco was the only business that failed the educational check. Another compliance check was completed in November, Posh Puff failed the tobacco check and Tobacco Field failed the CBD check. These failed checks will be processed through the court system and then brought to the Council for action according to Sec. 30-28. Penalties in the Northfield City Code. This section of code is listed below.
Sec. 30-28. Penalties.
(a) Licensees. In addition to any other penalties that may be imposed under this article, any licensee found to have violated this article, or whose employee shall have violated this article, shall be charged an administrative fine, and suspension, as applicable, in the city clerk's notice of violation/citation in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) First offense: $250.00.
(2) Second offense at the same licensed premises within a 24-month period: $500.00 and a tobacco license suspension of at least three consecutive days.
(3) Third offense at the same location within a 36-month period: $2,000.00 and a tobacco license suspension of at least 18 consecutive days.
(4) Fourth offense at the same location within a 60-month period: $2,500.00 and a tobacco license revocation for a minimum of one year following a hearing pursuant to sections 30-27 and 30-73.
For the purposes of this section, "within a 24-month period" means a period, two years in duration, which begins to toll on the date of the occurrence of the first violation, and ends two years from the date of the first violation.
Notwithstanding the foregoing and the penalties contained in the city clerk's notice of violation/citation, the hearing officer, following notice and a hearing as provided in section 30-27, may deviate from the administrative penalties provided above herein, by increasing or decreasing such imposed penalties, based upon the hearing officer's findings following consideration of the facts, circumstances, history and evidence presented and such other factors and evidence as the hearing officer deems relevant. A history of repeated violations extending beyond notwithstanding the time periods stated herein may be considered by the hearing officer to impose a longer suspension period or license revocation or non-renewal of a license as provided in this article.
(b) Training. In addition to any other penalties that may be imposed under this article, any licensee found to have violated the training requirements contained in section 30-62 of this article shall be charged an administrative fine in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) First offense: $100.00.
(2) Second offense at the same licensed premises within a 24-month period: $250.00 and a tobacco license suspension of at least three consecutive days.
(3) Third offense at the same location within a 36-month period: $500.00 and a tobacco license suspension of at least 18 consecutive days.
(4) Fourth offense at the same location within a 60-month period: $1,000.00 and a tobacco license suspension of at least 30 consecutive days.
(c) Statutory penalties. If the administrative penalty authorized to be imposed by Minn. Stat. § 461.12, as it may be amended from time to time, differ from that established in this section, then the higher penalty will prevail.
City Staff keeps track of failed compliance checks and charges according to these provisions in the City Code. To date, no establishment has failed two in a row or within the 24-month period so they would be considered first offenses with the City only charging a fine for the failure. Should an additional failure happen within the 24-month period, staff would bring back to the Council for a fine and suspension of their license.
Staff recommends approval of the licenses.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
The City of Northfield received $4,800 in license fees.
Tentative Timelines:
The current licenses expire on December 31, 2025. Renewal documents must be sent to the State prior to December 31, 2025.