Cannabis and lower potency hemp edible retailers

Hennepin County’s Board of Commissioners is considering a proposed ordinance this spring that would regulate aspects of selling adult-use cannabis and lower-potency hemp edibles.

Read the draft ordinance (PDF, 11 pages).

The public hearing was held April 8. The board is expected to vote on the ordinance in May.

What Hennepin is proposing

Hennepin County’s ordinance would:

Limit the number of cannabis retailers to no more than one registration per every 12,500 residents.
Allow sales between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week (consistent with liquor stores and neighboring jurisdictions’ restrictions on cannabis retailers).
Sets buffer limits within the midrange of the state’s allowable limits at 350 feet from schools, daycares, residential treatment facilities, and attractions within public parks that are regularly used by minors (similar to neighboring communities’ ordinances).
Apply to businesses seeking registrations in cities that defer their authority to the county. This currently includes Greenwood, Loretto, Medicine Lake, Shorewood and Spring Park.

Rationale for approach

Take a balanced approach to protect residents’ health, safety and well-being.
Acknowledge that prohibition and criminalization of cannabis and lower-potency hemp edible disproportionately affected Black/African American, American Indian, Latinx and other racially and ethnically diverse communities.

State and local government roles

The state’s Office of Cannabis Management is responsible for licensing cannabis and hemp businesses.

Cities and counties must:

Establish a registration application and review process, including specific bases for denial of registration.
Certify that a proposed business complies with local zoning and land use laws.
Conduct annual compliance checks of every cannabis and hemp business for age-verification and compliance.

Cities and counties may:

Establish time, place and manner restrictions on businesses (e.g., hours of operation).
Limit the number of licensed cannabis retails to no fewer than one registration per every 12,500 residents.
Prohibit the operation of cannabis businesses within 1,000 feet of a school or 500 feet of a daycare, residential treatment facility, or attraction within a public park that is regularly used by minors.
Cities within Hennepin County may defer their authority for registration to Hennepin County at any time.