City Council Meeting Date: May 6, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Jake Reilly, Community Development Director
Ben Martig, City Administrator
Title
First Reading of amendments to Chapter 34 - Land Development Code related to cannabis.
Body
Action Requested:
The City Council is asked to hold a first reading of the recommended changes to Chapter 34 - Land Development to address state law changes related to adult-use cannabis and provide for the establishment of regulations.
Summary Report:
The Planning Commission recommended adoption of the attached proposed cannabis zoning amendments at its April 17 regular meeting via PC Resolution 25-002, following a duly noticed public hearing held on March 20. The proposed amendments are in response to MN Session Law Chapter 63, which legalized adult-use cannabis and established a regulatory framework over the cannabis industry through the State of Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is expected to begin issuing cannabis businesses this summer. The proposed amendments herein focus on permitted cannabis business locations, Land Development Code definitions and standards, and distance requirements.
The information presented in this memo is not substantially different from information provided at work sessions in September and November 2024. The OCM has defined rules since adopting the original law and those rules are reflected in this report.
Staff presented this information to the Northfield Alliance of Substance Abuse Prevention (N-ASAP) board on March 31, 2025. Some of the members of that board have provided staff with a request that the Council consider limiting the location of cannabis retailers to the state-allowed maximum distance of 1,000 feet from K-12 schools, and 500 feet from daycare facilities, residential treatment facilities and park features. Additionally, there was stated support for considering the two colleges as schools for the purposes of the ci...
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