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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. O-1314-47 UPON SECOND AND FINAL READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING SECTION 13-108 OF CHAPTER 13 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF NORMAN TO ADD AN ANNUAL FEE FOR OKLAHOMA BREWERS; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF.
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BACKGROUND: Planning Department Staff recently met with an applicant seeking to open a Craft Brewery in Norman. Staff reviewed the applicant’s plan and City requirements regulating breweries, one of which is obtaining a “Brewer” permit from the City Clerk’s Office at a cost of $1,000 per year.
Following the meeting with the potential brewery owner, Staff was contacted by members of Council inquiring how the license/permit fees were established and questioned the inconsistency of fees between license/permit types; e.g., Oklahoma Winemaker at $50 per year and a Brewer at $1,000 per year. It was suggested Council Oversight Committee review said fees and make a recommendation whether or not adjustments should be made.
DESCRIPTION: The Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement (ABLE) Commission regulates and enforces the alcoholic beverage laws in the state of Oklahoma as outlined in the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Control Act. Municipalities are authorized to enact local ordinances consistent with the Act. In accordance therewith, City Council adopted Ordinance No. O-7475-8 in 1974 incorporating a fee schedule for various City licenses, permits and occupational taxes, which mirrored ABLE’s fee schedule at the time of adoption. At that time an ABLE Brewer License was $1,000 per year, a Winemaker was $500 per year, and an Oklahoma Winemaker was $50 per year.
Since that time, ABLE has increased the cost of a Brewer license to $1,250 per year and in 2010 established an Oklahoma Brewer license at a cost of $125 per year. Establishment of the state permit would enable the City of Norman to amend its current ordinance to add a category for an Oklahoma Brewer at a reduced cost bringing it more in line with that of an Oklahoma Winemaker. Since adoption of the ordinance in 1974, Norman has never issued a Brewer permit; therefore, if Council so desires adding this category would not have an adverse impact on existing permits.
RECOMMENDATION: The Oversight Committee met on March 12, 2014, and recommended the additional category of Oklahoma Brewer be added to the City’s fee schedule for permits, licenses and occupational taxes and forwarded for Council’s consideration. The Oversight Committee recommended the fee be $50 per year to mirror the Oklahoma Winemaker permit. In accordance therewith, Ordinance No. O-1314-47 adding an Oklahoma Brewer category is submitted for Council’s consideration.