City Council Meeting Date: August 12, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Jeff Schroepfer, Chief of Police
Subject:
TITLE
Public Hearing for New Location for On-Sale Micro Distiller Cocktail Room License, Off-Sale Micro Distillery License and Sunday Liquor License for Loon Liquors, LLC DBA Loon Liquor Company - 115 5th Street West.
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is being asked to hold a public hearing for a new location for an On-Sale Micro Distiller Cocktail Room License, Off-Sale Micro Distillery License and Sunday Liquor License for Loon Liquors, LLC DBA Loon Liquor Company located at 115 5th Street West, Northfield.
Per the procedures included in the staff report, there will need to be a motion to close the public hearing at its conclusion.
Summary Report:
The City received a new location On-Sale Micro Distiller Cocktail Room License, Off-Sale Micro Distillery License and Sunday Liquor License application from Loon Liquors, LLC on Friday, July 17, 2025. Since a new location is in place for the license, a public hearing is being held as outlined in City Code. Loon Liquors, LLC dba Loon Liquor Company has applied for an On-Sale Micro Distiller Cocktail Room License, Off-Sale Micro Distillery License and Sunday Liquor License. A liquor license background investigation was conducted by the police department. The investigative report cited no items of concern. Consideration of approval of the liquor license is scheduled following the public hearing.
Public hearing notices were mailed to property owners within 350’ of 115 5th Street West on July 28, 2025. A copy of the public hearing notice (attachment 1) and map (attachment 2) are attached. The public hearing notice was also published in the Northfield News on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
The following is the procedure of the public hearing per the City Council’s adopted Rules of Business:
Public Hearing Procedure:
A Public Hearing is used by the City Council to solicit the public's comments on various projects or City operation procedures.
A. The Chair (Mayor Zweifel) will open the hearing by identifying the subject.
B. Staff Presentation - staff (City Clerk Peterson and Police Chief Schroepfer) will give a presentation on the subject.
C. Applicant's Presentation- if needed.
D. Public Input - The public will have the opportunity to speak for or against the issue. The public may ask questions, make comments, voice support, agree or disagree with the issue.
1. The Chair will recognize a speaker at the podium and comments/conversation will be between the Chair and speaker; and between the Chair and Council Members.
2. At the podium the speaker must give their name, address, and if representing a business, must give the name of the business or corporation. If an Attorney or consultant is representing a client, the client must be identified for the record.
3. Speakers will be allowed to speak a maximum of two (2) minutes per item (not including interpreter’s time).
4. Speakers who have material to be handed out to the City Council Members will pass the material to the City Administrator. The City Administrator will then pass the information to the appropriate people. A minimum of twelve (12) copies are needed.
E. Questions or Clarifications from City Council - After the public input of the public hearing is completed, the City Council may request questions or clarifications prior to closing the public hearing. This section will be used when there are questions related to the topic on which the public hearing is being held. Questions should be succinct and avoid being rhetorical or leading in nature. Subsequent actions of the City Council provide for opportunities for further questions or clarifications from the City Council.
F. Any material to be entered into the record shall be noted. Any written communication presented to the City Council during a City Council meeting shall be read into the record or summarized for the record or simply delivered to the City Council, as the City Council may determine. They shall then be recorded in the minutes by title and filed with the minutes in the office of the City Clerk.
G. Motion to Close Hearing- The Chair will state if there is an extension of time for public input into the hearing. If not, the City Council will make a motion, second, and vote on closing the public hearing.
City Clerk Peterson and Police Chief Schroepfer will be giving the presentation for staff. The relevant background materials and information to this item are included in the agenda item immediately following the public hearing to consider action on the license application. There will not be a separate staff presentation for that agenda item and there will not be separate testimony for the applicant or public at that time.
Alternative Options:
None
Financial Impacts:
None.
Tentative Timelines:
The next agenda item relates to consideration of this license request.
If approved, license applications will be sent to the Department of Public Safety, Alcohol & Gambling Enforcement Division (DPS-AGE) for consideration. The licenses will be effective upon approval from DPS-AGE, submission of all final documents and premises meeting with staff.
The owners representatives are working on an opening in August. This special meeting was scheduled to accommodate this preferred timeline.