City Council Meeting Date: May 19, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Title
Consideration of a Resolution for the approval of the cannabis retail registration application for Black Bear Wellness MN LLC to operate a cannabis retailer business with an adult-use cannabis retailer endorsement at 680 Professional Drive.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to approve a Resolution approving the cannabis retail registration for Black Bear Wellness MN LLC to operate a cannabis retail business with an adult-use cannabis retail endorsement at 680 Professional Drive.
Summary Report:
Jesse Richard Worsk (the “applicant”), has received Preliminary License Approval from the State of Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management to operate a cannabis retail business. The applicant applied for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to operate a cannabis retail establishment at 680 Professional Drive and this CUP was approved by the City Council at their May 5, 2026 meeting. The next step in the process is for the City to approve the application.
The following is the limit on the number of cannabis licenses allowed within the City of Northfield per City Code:
Sec. 30-122. Limitation of registrations.
The city shall limit the number of cannabis retail businesses to no fewer than one registration for every 12,500 residents within the city, excluding medical cannabis combination businesses and any potential municipal cannabis store, and shall issue no more than two cannabis retail business registrations. The city shall include in its count of active retail registrations any cannabis retail business operating under a Tribal compact or a Tribally issued license or registration. If there is one active cannabis retail business registration for every 12,500 residents in the applicable county, the city shall not register additional state-licensed cannabis retail businesses. The city shall process cannabis retail registration applications in the order in which the completed applications are received. An application for city registration pursuant to this chapter shall not be received or processed by the city until an applicant has been issued the applicable license by the state or written notice of preliminary license approval by the OCM pursuant to applicable state law. Any application received by the city prior to an applicant's issuance of valid state licensure or written notice of preliminary license approval by the OCM shall be returned to the applicant unprocessed along with the applicant's registration fee.
Staff has reviewed the status of all licensed cannabis retail businesses within Rice County (including other municipalities therein) and there is currently one cannabis retail business licensed in the City of Dundas and one in the City of Lonsdale. These licenses are to be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The applicant is the second to apply within the City of Northfield. Therefore, per City Code the City if this license is approved the City will have reached its maximum allowed retail cannabis licenses other than exceptions such as City of Northfield municipal retail cannabis option or tribal retail cannabis.
The business will be a retail-only establishment with no on-site production or consumption.
The Police Department did complete necessary background investigations and no concerns were noted.
Additional regulations for cannabis establishments are included under Chapter 30 - Health and Sanitation, of the City Code. Some of these include:
- A limitation on the hours of operation from 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM
- The prohibition of on-site consumption without satisfying additional conditions
- The prohibition of on-site consumption by smoking or vaporization
Compliance with and enforcement of those regulations are administered through licensing and law enforcement.
Minnesota state law also includes additional requirements for cannabis retail businesses, including security systems, minimum age limits for employees and patrons, specific building configurations, the products that may be sold, interior lighting, and more. These regulations fall under the state and the Office of Cannabis Management will also conduct a site inspection prior to issuing the final state license for the applicant.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the application for a retail registration for the operation of a cannabis retail business with an adult-use cannabis endorsement at 680 Professional Drive, contingent upon final approval of the license by the Office of Cannabis Management and inspection of the premises prior to opening.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
The City receives $500 for the initial application and first year. The fee for renewal is $1,000.
Tentative Timelines:
Once approved at the City level, the applicant will go back to the state for final approval and inspection prior to receiving a full state license from the Office of Cannabis Management.