City council discusses zoning amendment for alcohol

City planning and zoning administrator Kevin Nissen presented information for a zoning ordinance amendment general business general commercial district on/off sale alcoholic beverage establishments.

The public hearing was also a first reading. The city’s on/off sale alcoholic beverage establishment uses have setback requirements of 1,000 feet from a school or church. He noted the large setback makes it difficult to find a location to build with a small commercial district.

The planning and zoning board recommends on-sale alcoholic beverage establishments stay as a conditional use permit with no setbacks and off-sale alcoholic beverage establishments become a permitted use.

Most of the discussion during the city council meeting was about whether or not to have setbacks. More will come during the second reading.

The council held a public hearing for new retail (on-off sale) malt beverage and South Dakota farm wine license for Lauriebelle’s Boutique. Nissen heard no opposition prior to the meeting and no one spoke against it at the meeting. The council approved the license.

The council held a public hearing and first reading for rezoning High Pointe Estates phase 4 for portions R1 to R2 residential and portions of R2 to R1 single family residential. Nissen said it is all proposed for single family homes.

Besides public hearings, councilman Brian Fowlds attended his last meeting as a member of the council. He was on the city council for 12 years and decided not to run for another term so he could have time to sit on a nonprofit board that holds hunting and fishing excursions for veterans. Mayor John Lawler thanked Fowlds for his service to the city.

Lawler and councilmen Todd Boots and Joe Weis took their oaths of office. Lawler noted that he intends for this term to be his last term.