WAYZATA — The Wayzata City Council held a workshop on April 15 to review a sketch plan from CoV restaurant proposing a small outdoor bar within its existing patio footprint on Lake Street, part of which occupies city right-of-way.
The discussion focused on whether the city should consider amending its code—which currently prohibits outdoor bars in the right-of-way—to allow such uses. No action was taken, as the purpose of the meeting was to provide feedback and determine if there was enough support to direct staff to further study a code change.
Mayor Andrew Mullin emphasized that the workshop format was intended to offer early guidance to the applicant before significant resources were spent on design and permitting. “This is designed to give them guidance early in the process so they don’t waste time, money, and energy,” he said during the meeting.
John Davis, representing CoV’s ownership group, expressed appreciation for the opportunity. “We’d rather have a no than a maybe—it’s especially a lot cheaper for us,” Davis told the council. He described the proposed bar as a way to improve guest flow and reduce congestion inside the restaurant, noting that occupancy would actually decrease slightly under the redesign.
Council members were split on the broader policy implications of allowing bars in public right-of-way, with concerns raised about setting precedent, preserving downtown aesthetics, and maintaining a family-friendly atmosphere. In the end, the council did not reach consensus to direct staff to draft a formal amendment to the code.
The applicant was advised that a potential path forward would be to modify the proposal so the new bar remains entirely on private property, which would avoid triggering the need for a code change.
