Hennepin County is moving forward with a proposed ordinance aimed at regulating the registration processes and the time, place, and manner of adult-use cannabis and lower-potency hemp edibles. If approved, this ordinance will specifically affect cities within the county that have delegated their authority to Hennepin County. It will also apply to those cities that are considering delegating retailer registration and compliance authority to the county.
However, the ordinance will not be applicable to cities that already have their own enacted ordinances. Under the new proposal, the county plans to limit cannabis business registrations to one for every 12,500 residents. Additionally, the sale of cannabis and lower-potency hemp edibles would be prohibited between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. There would also be a 350-foot buffer zone established from schools, daycares, residential treatment facilities, and parks frequently used by minors.
The registration fees under the proposed ordinance would be set at 50% of the state license fee or $500, whichever amount is lower. For renewal, the fees would be similarly set at 50% of the license fee or $1,000, whichever is less.
Hennepin County is encouraging public input on the ordinance, with four available options for residents to provide their comments on April 8. Residents can email their feedback to publichealth@hennepin.us, leave a toll-free voicemail by calling 855-340-8151, send mail to Public Health – Cannabis at 525 Portland Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415, or attend a public hearing at 1:30 p.m. at the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners meeting. This meeting will take place at the Hennepin County Government Center, located at 300 South Sixth Street in Minneapolis.
The county has made the draft of the proposed ordinance accessible for public review, inviting community engagement in this regulatory process.
