The Morrison County Board of Commissioners is considering a temporary moratorium on the establishment of cannabis businesses within the county until Jan. 1, 2025. The proposed moratorium would give the county time to develop local regulations and ordinances to govern the sale and distribution of cannabis products.
The moratorium was proposed by County Administrator Matt LeBlanc at the Board’s Tuesday, July 16 planning session. LeBlanc cited the rapidly evolving state regulations around cannabis as the primary reason for the moratorium, noting that the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management has been issuing new guidance and requirements on a near-weekly basis, comparing the process to building an airplane while it’s flying.
“I think it’s fair to say that the state, with the changes they’ve made, they’re not even really prepared for what’s about to happen,” said Commissioner Mike LeMieur. “Providing health and human services, land services and the auditor’s office the ability to go through and bring to us a proposal and have a public hearing to see what the citizens of (Morrison County) would like to see on the proposal. I think that’d be the right thing to do.”
Under the proposed moratorium, the county would be prohibited from accepting or approving any applications for cannabis-related businesses, including retail stores, cultivation facilities and manufacturing operations. The moratorium would not impact the ability of individuals to possess or consume cannabis, as that is governed by state law.
The County Board scheduled a public hearing on the proposed moratorium for Tuesday, July 30 at 5 p.m. During the hearing, residents will have the opportunity to provide input and feedback on the moratorium and the county’s plans for regulating the cannabis industry.
If approved, the moratorium would remain in effect until Jan. 1, 2025, or until the county has developed and implemented its own set of cannabis regulations, whichever comes first. During the moratorium period, the county would work closely with the state’s Office of Cannabis Management to stay up-to-date on the latest regulatory changes and best practices for local governments.
“I absolutely think it’s silly on the part of the County Board not to move forward with a moratorium,” said Commissioner Jeffrey Jelinski. “I truly believe that there’s so much information out there, that this information is changing daily, probably hourly sometimes that, in my opinion, as far as the Board is concerned, we would be silly not to impose a moratorium.”
The public hearing on the proposed cannabis moratorium is scheduled for Tuesday, July 30 at 5 p.m. at the Morrison County Government Center. Residents are encouraged to attend and share their thoughts and concerns with the County Board.
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