A. All applications for licenses, unless specifically provided otherwise, shall be made to the City Clerk or other authorized City official in writing upon forms provided by the City. Incomplete applications will be rejected by the City Clerk and will not be submitted for further review by the City.
1. Natural Person: If the applicant is a natural person, the applicant may be required to provide the following information:
a. Full name, place, contact information, and date of birth;
b. Street resident addresses of where the applicant has lived during the past five (5) years and telephone numbers and dates for which such addresses and phone numbers were used;
c. Whether the applicant has ever been known by a name other than the applicant’s name and, if so, the name or names used, including maiden names, and information concerning dates and places used;
d. The type, name and location of every business or occupation in which the applicant has been engaged during the preceding five (5) years and the names and addresses of the applicant’s employers and partners, if any, for the preceding five (5) years, and corresponding dates of employment;
e. Whether the applicant has ever been convicted of a felony, gross misdemeanor, misdemeanor, including violations of a municipal ordinance, but excluding minor traffic violations, directly related to the business for which the license is sought. If so, the applicant must furnish information as to the date, time, place of conviction and nature of the offenses;
f. A physical description of the applicant;
g. The applicant’s current personal financial statement and copies of the applicant’s federal and state tax returns for the two (2) years prior to the application;
h. The applicant’s social security number; and
i. If the applicant does not manage the business, the name of the managers or other persons in charge of the business and all information concerning each of them pursuant to subsections A.1.a through A.1.h. above.
2. Partnership: If the applicant is a partnership, the applicant may be required to provide the following information:
a. The names, addresses, and contact information of all general and limited partners and all information concerning each general partner pursuant to subsections A.1.a through A.1.h. above;
b. The names of the managing partners and the interest of each partner in the licensed business;
c. A copy of the partnership agreement;
d. The applicant’s federal tax identification number and state employer identification number; and
e. If the applicant does not manage the business, the name of the managers or other persons in charge of the business and all information concerning each of them pursuant to subsections A.1.a through A.1.h. above.
3. Corporation: If the applicant is a corporation or other organization, the applicant may be required to provide the following information:
a. The name of the corporation or business and the state of the incorporation;
b. A copy of the articles of incorporation or association agreement and bylaws. If the applicant is a foreign corporation, a certificate of authority as required by Minnesota Statutes Section 303.06, must be attached;
c. The applicant’s federal tax identification number and state employer identification number;
d. The name of the managers or other persons in charge of the business and all information concerning each manager, proprietor or agent pursuant to subsections A.1.a through A.1.h. above; and
e. A list of all persons who control or own an interest in excess of five percent (5%) in the organization or business or who are officers of the corporation or business and all information concerning those persons pursuant to subsections A.1.a through A.1.h. above. This provision, however, does not apply to a corporation whose stock is publicly traded on a stock exchange and the corporation is applying for a license to be owned or operated by itself.
4. Additional Information from all Applicants: All applicants must provide the following additional information:
a. Whether the applicant holds a current license or has ever held a license from any governmental unit, including the City;
b. Whether the applicant has ever had a license in any city or state denied, revoked or suspended and the reason for the denial, revocation, or suspension;
c. The name of the business, if it is to be conducted under a designation, name or style other than the name of the applicant and a certified copy of the certificate as required by Minnesota Statutes Section 333.01;
d. The street addresses and telephone numbers of the premises at which the business will be conducted;
e. The exact legal description of the premises to be licensed, if applicable;
f. If the applicant does not own the business premises, a true and complete copy of the executed lease for the premises, if applicable;
g. If the applicant is applying for a personal business license, a copy of the independent contractor, employment agreement or executed statement from the business owner that the applicant is authorized to conduct business at the business premises;
h. Whether all real estate and personal property taxes that are due and payable for the premises have been paid and, if not paid, the years and amounts that are unpaid;
i. A written declaration by the applicant, under penalty of perjury, that the information contained in the application is true and correct. If the applicant is a corporation, an officer must sign the written declaration. If the applicant is a partnership, a general partner must sign the written declaration. If the applicant is an unincorporated association, the manager or managing officer must sign the written declaration;
j. If the licensed activity requires prior approval from another government entity, provide evidence of that approval; and
k. Any other information the City may require.
5. Insurance Coverage: The applicant must file with the City Clerk a certificate of insurance from an insurance company duly licensed and qualified to do business in the state, on a form approved by the City.
a. Coverage Requirements: The insurance policy must provide coverages in a minimum of the following amounts, unless otherwise required by law:
(1) Commercial General Liability Insurance, with a limit of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence and two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) general aggregate;
(2) Workers’ Compensation Insurance in accordance with statutory requirements;
(3) Automobile Liability Insurance, with a combined single limit of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) for each accident.
b. Coverage Changes and Cancellation: The City of Cottage Grove must be listed as a certificate holder and be notified of any changes or cancellations in coverage.
c. Application: The insurance coverage requirements of this section shall apply to all licenses granted by the City, unless specifically stated otherwise by the City Clerk or their designee.
6. License Fees: License fees must be paid before the City will grant the license.
a. Fee Determination: The fees for licenses are established by City Council resolution.
b. Refunds: License fees are not refundable unless approved by the City Council. In addition, specific license fees for which work was performed, such as a background investigation, shall not be refunded.
c. Late Fees: An applicant who submits a completed application to renew a license less than sixty (60) days prior to its expiration date, shall pay a late fee pursuant to the fee schedule, in addition to the license fee.
d. Prorated License Fees: In unique circumstances, the City Council may approve prorating a particular license fee. Unless the Council has approved prorating the license, license fees will not be prorated for a portion of a license term, except for the following licenses, payment for which shall only be for the portion remaining in the license term:
(1) On-sale intoxicating liquor;
(2) Pawnbroker;
(3) Secondhand goods dealer;
(4) Tobacco.
e. Provisional License Fees: The City Council may require an additional fee for provisional licenses that is in addition to the regular license fee, due to the extraordinary monitoring that is required by City staff. The additional provisional license fee shall be set by the City Council upon approval of a provisional license; and
f. Installment Payments: For on-sale liquor licenses only, the licensee may pay the license fee in two (2) equal installments, due on or before December 15 for the upcoming license term and on or before June 15 for the remainder of the existing license term. An administrative fee will be imposed for licensees who pay the license fee in installments. Failure to pay any installment payment when due may result in revocation or suspension of the license. In addition, late fees, as provided in subsection A.6.c above will be imposed.
7. Change in Information: Any change in the information required by subdivisions 3-1-2 A.1, A.2, A.3, or A.4 of this section must be reported to the City Clerk or other authorized official within fourteen (14) days of that change.
B. Background Investigations: After the City has received a completed application with the required information under Section 3-1-2.A, including all required documentation and appropriate fees, certain license applications may require a background investigation and submission to the City Council for approval. In such cases, the following process in this subsection shall be followed.
1. In order to protect the general welfare of the public, certain license applications may require a personal background and/or a business background investigation. If so required, the investigations will be conducted pursuant to this Section, as well as Section 1-6-2 of the City Code. If the applicant simultaneously submits an application for more than one (1) license and each license requires a personal and/or business background investigation, the applicant shall only be required to pay the fee for one (1) personal background investigation and one (1) business background investigation, if applicable. If the investigation fees for the various licenses differ, the higher fees shall apply.
a. Authorization: At the time of making an initial or renewal license application that requires a personal or business background investigation, the applicant must provide written authorization to the City to investigate all facts set out in the application and to do a personal and/or business background investigation on the applicant. A criminal background investigation shall be conducted as part of a personal background investigation. The information obtained from the investigation shall be used to assist the Director of Public Safety or their designee in making a recommendation as to whether the applicant should be granted a license. The recommendation may be based on any of the following criteria:
(1) Whether the applicant was convicted of a crime or offense in the last five (5) years involving or directly related to the business for which a license is sought;
(2) Whether there is a material misrepresentation in the application.
b. Investigation Fee: All applicants that must undergo a background investigation must pay an investigation fee with the license application. Separate fees shall be charged for personal background investigations and business background investigations. The City Council establishes the investigation fees by City Council resolution. If the applicant applies for an additional license within the calendar year, then the applicant shall only be required to pay the renewal fee.
C. Administrative Approval:
1. City Staff Approval: If authorized by the City Code, certain licenses may be administratively approved by City staff.
2. If authorized for administrative approval, then within ten (10) regular business days of receiving a completed license application, the City Clerk or their designee shall issue the license unless there exist grounds for denying the license under Section 3-1-11.B.1, in which case the City Clerk shall deny the license application. If the City Clerk denies the license application, the applicant will be notified in writing of the decision, the reason for denial, and of the applicant’s right to appeal pursuant to City Code Section 1-3-4.