Casper City Council Gives Initial Approval to Satellite Winery Ordinance

The city of Casper may be one step closer to introducing a satellite winery into town.

Casper City Council on Tuesday gave, on first reading, unanimous approval to an ordinance that essentially lets the city's municipal code match state law in regard to the establishment of satellite wineries within city boundaries.

Casper mayor Paul Meyer says the code amendment process began nearly a year ago when a winery out of Cody approached the city about possibly setting up shop in Casper.

“The state and Park County has made it legal for them to establish wineries around the state,” Meyer said. “In each city, we can have three different distributors, and nobody has taken advantage of that.”

Under the proposed code, the application process would copy the process for obtaining other liquor licenses, and public hearings will be required. The city would also charge a permitting fee of no more than $100.

Council must pass the ordinance twice more before it can be formally adopted.