Minutes of the Work Session on May 14, 2013MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Raspberry Room — 7:30 p.m.
The meeting was started at 7:25 p.m. Present were Mayor Maxwell and Council members Molly
Cummings, Jason Gadd and Kristi Halverson, City Manager Mike Mornson, Assistant City
Manager Jim Genellie, City Clerk Kris Luedke and Luke Derheim representing Hopkins
Tavern/Stanley's on Wheels Food Truck.
New business:
Discussion Food Ordinance and Food Truck
Ms. Luedke addressed Council regarding amendments to City Code Chapter 6, Section 600
regarding Food and Food Establishments, 610 regarding swimming pools and adding language
regarding the use of mobile food vehicles in the city. The amendments to the city code would be
a housekeeping item reflecting the move to Hennepin County to provide Environmental Health
services to the City of Hopkins. Proposed amendments would include deleting section 610—
Swimming Pools in its entirety. The proposed amendment for section 600—Food and Food
Establishment would delete all but the section on mobile food cart vendors. Staff has been
investigating food vehicle ordinances in other cities and Ms. Luedke gave an overview what
other cities are looking at and their current practices.
Ms. Luedke reviewed the current city ordinance that addresses mobile food cart vendors but does
not address food trucks that are in a stationary location for a period of time and different
locations on different days. Ms. Luedke reviewed the issues that the proposed ordinance would
need to address:
• Specify where and when food trucks and mobile vendors may locate in the city. Staff
would propose parking locations that do not interfere with traffic or create a pedestrian
safety issue.
• Define mobile vending to include food trucks and non-food items being sold out of a
vehicle or trailer.
• Provide for performance standards, such as hours of operation, signage, storage of trucks
in the city, etc.
• Establish a reasonable annual fee.
• Requirements for Department of Health and/or Agriculture license information.
The draft ordinance would be reviewed by city attorney and brought back to Council for their
review.
Mr. Derheim, representing Hopkins Tavern and Stanley's on Wheels Food Truck provided
background information regarding the inquiry for use of a mobile food truck in the City of
Hopkins. Mr. Derheim gave an overview of his current food truck operation in Minneapolis and
St. Paul, reasons for his request to operate a food truck close to the Hopkins Tavern, food truck
operation & food preparation, hours of operation, waste disposal, types & decibel levels of
generators and the Health Department process. Mr. Derheim would like to bring in one food
truck on a Friday night outside of Hopkins Tavern to test the interest. Mr. Derheim gave an
overview of the types of foods that his truck serves.
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There was much Council discussion regarding the County Health Department inspection process
& regulations, grease hood inspection, number & size of food trucks, central location for food
trucks such as clock tower plaza, not competing with little league concessions, hours of
operation, fee to cover cost of use of public space, city staff providing a list of licensed food
trucks to event organizers, Minneapolis survey results that showed customers are willing to walk
8 blocks to lunchtime food trucks, state licensing of food trucks locating at private companies
and the possible opportunity for food trucks to locate outside of breweries. Council also
discussed the reason for deleting swimming pools from the ordinance because they are no longer
licensed by the city.
Council directed staff to continue to draft a food truck ordinance that will work for Hopkins and
bring back to Council for review at a future work session. Staff will gather further information
from the County Health Department, Fire Marshall, Minnesota State licensing, investigate
location requirements, use of public space and include amendments regarding food trucks at
festivals. Ms. Luedke will send Council copies of ordinances and applications from the cities of
Minneapolis and St. Paul for review.
Amendment to the Liquor License Ordinance
Ms. Luedke gave an overview of brewer type licenses and possible definitions for the liquor
license ordinance amendments required to permit a brewpub type license in the City of Hopkins.
City staff has received inquiries regarding the possibility for a Brew pub type license in the City
of Hopkins. Ms. Luedke gave an overview of Tap room licenses. The state statute allows a
municipality to issue, with state approval, a liquor license for a Brewer Taproom license. The
Statute defines Brewer Taprooms as a place that would allow the "on -sales of malt liquor
produced by the brewer for consumption on the premises of or adjacent to one brewer location
owned by the brewer." Brewer Taproom liquor licenses require approval by the State prior to
becoming effective. The State does not have a "BrewPub" license. Staff is proposing in Hopkins
the following: a `BrewPub" to be defined as a Brewer Taproom License with a food to liquor
ratio located in the B-2 zoning district and the B-3 zoning district where that district is adjacent
to Mainstreet.
There was much Council discussion regarding the definitions of a Brewer Taproom & Brew pub
license, food ratio, State laws, hours of operation, kitchen requirements, food requirements by
other cities, state license fee, annual city fee, state inspections, how to regulate the food
requirement ratio, possibility of food trucks at brew pub locations, survivability of brew pub
model without food service, restriction of hours of operation, the inquiries received by the City
of Hopkins and parking concerns of manufacturing/retail in industrial zones.
Mr. Genellie gave an overview of State Brewer Taproom license, food to beverage ratio
requirement and that the 25/75% food/beverage ratio was a figure that industry said they could
meet.
Council directed staff to pursue drafting a Brewer Taproom License that is workable in the
B2/B3 zoning districts and includes the following conditions: 25-75% food beverage ratio, hours
& days of week of operation, reasonable fee, signage requirements, background check fee and
seating requirements. Staff will investigate the 25% food requirement and get feedback regarding
the license conditions. Staff will bring a draft of the ordinance back to Council for further
review.
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Other
• Council member Gadd will attend the Light Rail Community Works meeting on
Thursday, May 16, 2013 and will update the Council.
• Police Chief Reynolds will host a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, May 16, 2013 at
Maetzold Field.
• A new pizza delivery tenant will be leasing space at Crossroads on 7 (former Mayon
Plastics building).
• Mr. Mornson informed Council that he is considering applying for a League of
Minnesota Cities board position and Council offered their support.
• Council is donating a "The Cultivation of Raspberries" print to the Hopkins Post Office.
• Don Bates will be recognized on Saturday, May 18 at Hopkins Downtown Park.
• Council discussion of city survey results and possible questions to ask the survey
company.
With no further business to discuss there was a motion by Council member Cummings and a
second by Council member Gadd to adjourn the meeting at 9:07 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Debbie Vold
CITY COUNCIL
ATTEST:
Eugene J. Maxwell, Mayor