— Willmar City Operations Director Kyle Box recently presented an overview of the proposed Willmar cannabis ordinances to the
The ordinances will pertain to the registration of cannabis retail businesses with the city and the zoning of where those businesses can be located. The city has no control over which businesses become licensed by the state of Minnesota, according to Box.
“Prior to conducting sales … the state law requires the business to receive local registration consent from the city before they can move forward (with sales),” Box told the City Council on Dec. 16.
The ordinances are expected to be introduced at the Jan. 13, 2025, council meeting, at which time the council will also schedule public hearings for the ordinances. The public hearings are expected to take place during the Feb. 2 meeting.
State statute sets forth a minimum of retail businesses that must be allowed to be licensed within a city based on population, according to Box. Due to Willmar’s population, the city must allow at least two licensed cannabis retailers within the city limits.
Contributed / City of Willmar
Therefore, city staff recommends that Willmar’s registration ordinance allow for the registration of only two cannabis retailers, Box explained.
However, the ordinance will also include a caveat that if the city pursues a municipal cannabis retail business, it would not be counted as one of the two registrations that are allowed, Box said.
Councilor Audrey Nelsen asked what happens if there were three cannabis retailers that applied for registration and the council decided it wanted to register all three. Box explained that the council can change the ordinance.
The city is also allowed to insert buffer requirements in its zoning ordinance to keep cannabis retail businesses a specific distance from certain locations, such as schools and parks. Box relayed that city staff recommends using the maximum allowed by state statute.
The maximum buffers allowed by state statute would prohibit the operation of cannabis retail businesses within 1,000 feet of a school, 500 feet of a daycare, 500 feet of a residential treatment facility and 500 feet from parks, playgrounds, athletic fields and any outdoor areas that are frequently used by minors.
Cannabis retail businesses will also need a conditional use permit to operate within the city, and will only be allowed in the general business one, two and three districts, as well as the Commercial Business District, roughly the downtown area.
Cannabis licenses through the state will be approved via a lottery, which the Office of Cannabis Management does not expect to conduct until May or June of 2025, according to Box.
