The city of Minneapolis is finalizing cannabis zoning regulations as the state moves toward opening its first non-tribal dispensaries next year.
The council is scheduled to vote on a set of rules Thursday that will help clarify where and how dispensaries and other weed businesses can open. There are a few things you should know about these potential rules.
Will marijuana dispensaries be allowed near schools?
Under the proposed regulations, there would be a 300-foot buffer between clinics and K-12 schools. This is the same buffer that is mandated for liquor stores. This is also the same distance St. Paul used earlier this year.
For reference, city blocks in Minneapolis range in length from 330 to 660 feet.
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How many dispensaries will be allowed in Minneapolis?
According to the state's cannabis law, a city with the population of Minneapolis must allow at least 34 licenses. The city does not issue permits. That authority rests with the state of Minnesota.
The state also issues social equity licenses to eligible individuals who have been harmed in the past by over-prosecution of marijuana laws.
What kind of cannabis businesses will open in the city?
The city's proposed cannabis business zoning rules include regulations that would apply to all 13 types of licenses offered by the state. This includes businesses that grow, sell, and deliver cannabis products.
Residents are allowed to grow marijuana for personal use, but city zoning regulations prohibit home retail businesses. However, it is possible to conduct a cannabis event planning business within a private residence.
City officials say there are 543 companies in Minneapolis registered with the state to sell low-potency edible hemp. Thirty-three of those businesses have told the city they intend to seek state approval to become dispensaries.
City Councilman Orrin Chowdhury said he wants to allow these local businesses to obtain dispensary licenses.
“One of my intentions is to retain local owners and operators and protect (them) from large corporate acquisitions from multi-state pharmacies,” she said.
What restrictions will be placed on these businesses?
The city will not allow outdoor commercial cultivation facilities such as greenhouses or hoop houses. Producers must keep operations completely indoors and must submit an odor abatement plan.
Producers must also comply with the city's existing noise standards. Vendors must keep it indoors except for special events.
What is not covered by this set of zoning regulations?
Zoning simply determines where businesses can locate and establishes the standards businesses must comply with.
These regulations do not enforce laws regarding where people can smoke or ingest cannabis-based products, nor do they enforce indoor clean air restrictions.
MPR News reporter Kari Spencer contributed reporting.
