The St. Louis County Board has approved an ordinance to regulate cannabis businesses in St. Louis County. The ordinance goes into effect January 1, 2025, and covers the municipalities, townships and unorganized townships in St. Louis County where the county is the planning and zoning authority.
The County's ordinance addresses use of cannabis in public, establishes zoning restrictions for cannabis businesses and hemp businesses, and sets hours for operations of retail businesses. Commissioners noted they are taking a conservative approach to begin and will likely modify the ordinance in years to come as the cannabis industry develops.
The ordinance, as well as other information and resources about cannabis, can be read on the county's website at stlouiscountymn.gov/cannabis. The ordinance passed 6-1, with Commissioner Ashley Grimm opposing.
Significant points of the ordinance include:
. No cannabis retail business will be allowed to operate within 1,000 feet of a school, or within 500 feet of a licensed daycare, residential treatment facility or a public park that is regularly used by minors.
. Per statute, the County is required to approve registrations for at least one licensed cannabis retail business per 12,500 residents. Based on the number of residents living in areas where St. Louis County has zoning authority, that means the County will grant approval to three such retail businesses.
. Use of cannabis will be banned in public parks or government owned, leased or controlled lands, as well as any indoor places where smoking is banned.
Anyone hoping to open a cannabis business in St. Louis County must first apply for a license through the state's Office of Cannabis Management. Based on court action yesterday, the state's social equity lottery for cannabis licenses has been put on hold.
In July, the County Board approved a temporary moratorium prohibiting the registration of cannabis businesses throughout the county to provide the county and local jurisdictions more time to plan and implement regulations consistent with state statute. The moratorium ends Dec. 31 at 11:59 p.m. – St. Louis County press release
