The Dakota County Board of Commissioners amended County Ordinance 101 Regulating the Licensing and Sale of 3.2% Malt Liquor (on sale and off sale) and Intoxicating Liquor (on sale and off sale) on July 18, 2023.
Amended the Ordinance due to State of Minnesota legislation passed May 30, 2023 regulating adult-use cannabis.
- Updated Section 6. Persons Eligible to include that a person who has had a license revoked or convicted of an offense under chapter 342 or section 151.72, or has been convicted of the illegal sale of cannabis products may not be issued a retail liquor license.
Amended the Ordinance due to State of Minnesota legislation passed May 22, 2022 allowing the county agricultural society to apply for a 7-day temporary liquor license during the county fair.
- Updated Section 8. Intoxicating Liquor: On-Sale Licenses to include temporary on-sale licenses of intoxicating liquor for 1-4 days to a club, charitable, religious or nonprofit organization, and no more than 7 days to the county agricultural society at the county fair.
Amended the Ordinance at the request of the Board of Commissioners to review the Best Practices Program, compliance checks and penalties at their meeting on May 3, 2022.
- Updated Section 22. Compliance Checks and Inspections to revise who may conduct compliance checks in Subdivision 1 and Subdivision 2 since compliance checks must be conducted by a law enforcement officer who can issue citations for noncompliance or failed inspections.
- Updated Section 26. Penalties, Subdivision 1. Sanctions to align the sanctions - fines and suspension of license - imposed by the County Ordinance to be similar to the sanctions imposed by cities in Dakota County for similar violations. This change also adds elements of the Best Practices Program to violations by licensees who are not enrolled in the Best Practices Program.
- Updated Section 26. Penalties, Subdivision 2. to revise the options for the required and elective items for licensees enrolled in the Best Practices Program.
The full text of the updated ordinance can be reviewed online. A printed copy of the ordinance is available for inspection in the Property Taxation and Records Department.