Here is the transcribed townhall with speaker names added based on the context and self-identifications provided in the dialogue. [0:18] **Chris Meyer:** WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MINNEAPOLIS PLANNING COMMISSION FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024. MY NAME IS CHRIS MEYER AND I'M CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. BEFORE WE START I WANTED TO DO A QUICK PSA THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC AND THEY ARE BROADCAST LIVE TO ENABLE GREATER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THE BROADCAST INCLUDE REALTIME CAPTIONING. AS A FURTHER METHOD TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR PROCEEDINGS TO THE COMMUNITY. SO WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO BE MINDFUL OF THEIR RATE OF THEIR SPEECH SO THAT OUR CAPTION HES CAN FULLY CAPTURE AND TRANSCRIBE ALL THE COMMENTS FOR BROADCAST. SO WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO MODERATE THEIR SPEED AND CLARITY OF THEIR COMMENTS. [0:54] **Chris Meyer:** WITH THAT I WILL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL TO VERIFY QUORUM. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** THIS IS MY FIRST TIME, Y’ALL. [LAUGHTER] COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. [1:11] **Commissioner Baxley:** HERE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CAMPBELL. **Commissioner Campbell:** HERE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CHOWDHURY. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** PRESENT. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CONLEY. **Commissioner Conley:** PRESENT. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** JONES. **Commissioner Jones:** HERE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** MEYER. **Chris Meyer:** HERE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** OLSON. **Commissioner Olson:** HERE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** THOMPSON. **Commissioner Thompson:** HERE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** WAGNER. [1:26] **Commissioner Wagner:** HERE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** WE HAVE NINE MEMBERS PRESENT. **Chris Meyer:** THAT IS A QUORUM. WITH THAT WE'LL PROCEED TO THE MINUTES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2024? **Commissioner:** MOVE APPROVAL. **Chris Meyer:** IS THERE A SECOND? **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? [1:42] **Chris Meyer:** ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MINUTES SAY AYE. **Commissioners:** AYE. **Chris Meyer:** OPPOSED, ABSTENTIONS, THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED. NEXT WE WILL ORGANIZE THE AGENDA. SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH EACH ITEM AND SAY WHETHER THEY ARE ON CONSENT OR NOT. AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AN ITEM AND PULL IT FROM CONSENT THEN RAISE YOUR HAND WHEN I BRING UP THE ITEM. SO, THE FIRST ITEM WILL NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC HEARING. ITEM NUMBER 4, 2103 WEST BROADWAY. WE'LL DO THAT ONE FIRST. AND AFTER THAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT ALL ITEMS EXCEPT ITEM NUMBER 8 BE PUT ON CONSENT. SO I'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE. SO NUMBER 5, [2:31] **Chris Meyer:** 1630 FIFTH STREET NORTHEAST. WAS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEM NUMBER 5? ALL RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER 5 WILL BE ON CONSENT. ITEM 6, CHICAGO AVENUE. WAS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEM NUMBER 6? WE'LL PUT THAT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 7. [3:04] **Commissioner:** [OFF MIC] **Chris Meyer:** HE MIGHT HAVE RAISED A HAND. **Commissioner:** WAS THERE SOMEONE WHO RAISED A HAND? **Chris Meyer:** WHAT ITEM IS NUMBER 6? **Audience Member:** YOU'RE HERE FOR NUMBER 8 I BELIEVE. [LAUGHTER] **Chris Meyer:** WE WILL BE DISCUSSING NUMBER 8 I BELIEVE IT'S MOST OF YOU ARE HERE FOR, THAT IS THE ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT REGARDING CANNABIS. BUT FIRST FOR NUMBER 7, EWING AVENUE SOUTH WAS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEM NUMBER 7? [3:32] **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, JUST TO REVIEW, SO ITEM NUMBER 4 WILL HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARING. ITEMS NUMBER 5, 6 AND 7 WILL BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 8 THE ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT WILL BE DISCUSSED. [3:49] **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS I STATED? **Commissioner:** SO MOVED. **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED, ABSTENTIONS IN THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. FIRST, ITEM NUMBER 4, 2103 WEST BROADWAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR REQUEST FOR PRESENTATION FROM COMMISSIONERS ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM NUMBER 4 AS CONSISTENT WITH THE 2040 PLAN? [4:17] **Commissioner:** SO MOVED. **Chris Meyer:** IS THERE A SECOND? **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING ITEM NUMBER 4 SAY AYE. **Commissioners:** AYE. **Chris Meyer:** OPPOSED, ABSTENTIONS? ITEM NUMBER 4 IS ADOPTED. WE WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO IF YOU WERE HEAR TO SPEAK TO ITEMS NUMBER 5, 6 OR 7, NOW IS THE TIME WHERE YOU CAN SPEAK YOUR MIND. [4:45] **Chris Meyer:** GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, ANYONE HERE FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONERS, I'LL CLOSE THE HEARING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. COMMISSIONERS IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? [5:01] **Commissioner:** SO MOVED. **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. **Commissioners:** AYE. **Chris Meyer:** OPPOSED, ABSTENTIONS? THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED. ALL RIGHT. NOW FOR THE MAIN EVENT. ITEM NUMBER 8. THE ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT. [5:42] **Sara Roman (Senior Planner):** GOOD EVENING, CHAIR MEYER, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. MY NAME IS SARA ROMAN. I AM A SENIOR PLANNER IN OUR CODE DEVELOPMENT GROUP WITHIN THE CPED PLANNING DEPARTMENT. AND THIS EVENING I WILL BE PRESENTING THE DRAFT REGULATIONS FOR THE ADULT USE CANNABIS TEXT AMENDMENT TO ADOPT REGULATIONS FOR CANNABIS BUSINESSES AND LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. QUICK BACKGROUND, THE STATE OF MINNESOTA LEGALIZED MEDICAL CANNABIS BACK IN 2014. [6:15] **Sara Roman:** SO WE HAVE TEN YEARS OF MEDICAL CANNABIS IN THE STATE. THEY LEGALIZED LOWER-POTENCY EMP EDIBLES IN 2022. SO THAT IS THE GUMMIES AND SETTLE RECEIVER PRODUCTS YOU SEE WIDELY THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND STATE. [6:31] **Sara Roman:** AND IN 2023 THE STATE LEGALIZED ADULT USE CANNABIS. SO THAT'S THE WORLD THAT WE'RE LIVING IN TODAY WHERE IT IS LEGAL TO POSSESS CANNABIS, IT IS LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS AT HOME FOR PERSONAL USE. BUT YOU CAN'T YET PURCHASE ADULT USE CANNABIS IN STORES. THE STATE HAS NOT BEGUN THE PROCESS OF ISSUING LICENSES FOR THOSE BUSINESSES YET. [6:53] **Sara Roman:** SO CITIES ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE REGULATIONS THAT WILL APPLY TO THESE BUSINESSES, BOTH LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE BUSINESSES CANNABIS BUSINESSES. THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT WHICH IS THE LICENSING BODY THAT WILL ISSUE THOSE LICENSES IS PROJECTING THIS TO OCCUR IN EARLY 2025. [7:15] **Sara Roman:** BUT WE DON'T HAVE A SOLID DATE ON THOSE THOSE LICENSES WILL BE ISSUED YET. QUICK REGULATORY CONTEXT, JUST TO PROVIDE SOME SCOPING, SO THE STATE IS GOING TO BE THE PRIMARY INDUSTRY REGULATOR FOR CANNABIS AND LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLES MEANING THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE A ROLE IN WHO IS RECEIVING A LICENSE TO OPERATE A CANNABIS BUSINESS OR LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE BUSINESS. THE ONLY POINT OF CONTACT THAT WE WILL HAVE DURING THE LICENSING PROCESS IS TELLING STATE WHETHER OR NOT THEY COMPLY WITH OUR ZONING REGULATIONS. [7:47] **Sara Roman:** THE STATE WILL ALSO BE ADMINISTERING THE SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAM. SO THE STATE HAS DETERMINED WHO IS A SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANT, WHO MEETS THOSE CRITERIA, THEY'VE CREATED THOSE CRITERIA AND THEY DETERMINE HOW MANY LICENSES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS, HOW MANY ROUNDS OF LICENSES THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS THAT ENCOMPASS THE SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAM AT THE STATE. [8:10] **Sara Roman:** AND THEN THE CITY'S ROLE IN THIS PROCESS IS TO REGULATE TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER. SO THAT IS PRIMARILY THROUGH THE ZONING CODE BUT CAN ALSO BE IN OTHER PLACES WITHIN OUR CODE. AND WE WILL ALSO BE REGISTERING BUSINESSES, WHICH WILL BE WITHIN OUR BUSINESS LICENSING DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF THINGS THAT ENTAIL A CANNABIS PROGRAM AT THE CITY OR STATE OR EVEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT DON'T NECESSARILY, THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY ADDRESSED THROUGH ZONING. SO THOSE THINGS COULD BE PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, WHETHER CANNABIS IS BEING SMOKED ON SIDEWALKS OR IN PUBLIC PARKS, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS ADDRESSED THROUGH THE ZONING CODE. THINGS LIKE THE INDOOR CLEAN AIR ACT AND THOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESSES ON [8:56] **Sara Roman:** WHETHER OR NOT THEY ALLOW SMOKING INDOORS ARE NOT INCREASED THROUGH THE ZONING CODE. WE ALSO AGAIN WE DON'T DEAL WITH BUSINESS REGISTRATION OR AGE VERIFICATION, WHICH WILL BE DEALT WITH AT A CITY LEVEL. THE CITY WILL HAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESS REGISTRATION AND WILL DO AGE VERIFICATION CHECKS WITH THEIR BUSINESS LICENSING AND WITH THE POLICE, BUT ZONING DOESN'T HAVE A ROLE IN THAT. [9:24] **Sara Roman:** WHEN WE WERE DRAFTING OUR REGULATIONS WE CAME BACK TO ONE CITYWIDE POLICY GOAL THAT WAS CREATED WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY. AND THAT WAS A GOAL OF HAVING LEGALIZATION AT A LOCAL LEVEL INTENDED TO BE SAFE, EQUITABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ZONING CODE WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS THAT WE ARE PROMOTING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES TO OPEN, WE ARE SUPPORTING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CANNABIS SO THAT'S BEING PERMISSIVE TO AN EXTENT WHERE WE ARE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ACCESS JOBS AND PEOPLE TO ACCESS THESE RETAIL MARKETS THAT ARE BEING CREATED. AND THAT IT'S NOT JUST THROUGH DRIVING A VEHICLE BUT ALSO THESE BEING BUSINESSES THAT ARE WALKABLE OR ACCESSIBLE BY BUS OR BY BIKE. AND WE'RE BALANCING [10:10] **Sara Roman:** THAT WITH A GOAL OF HELPING TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ADDRESSING PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS LIKE YOUTH ACCESS. SO EVERYTHING IS A BALANCE OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE RIGHT REGULATION TO ADOPT THAT PROMOTES ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND IS ALSO PROTECTIVE OF SOME OF THESE PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURES. [10:29] **Sara Roman:** WE ALSO HAVE AN ENTERPRISE WIDE POLICY THAT GOES BEYEYOND THE ZONING CODE. SO OTHER BODIES WITHIN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS ARE ALSO WORKING TOWARDS THIS GOAL, FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE A NEW STAFF MEMBER IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS TEAMS WHO IS HERE TONIGHT ATTENDING WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSISTING NEW CANNABIS BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES. ALL RIGHT. TO GET INTO THE MEAT OF IT, FOR OUR DRAFT AMENDMENT, THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO ALLOW ALL 13 LICENSE TYPES OFFERED BY THE STATE TO LOCATE IN MINNEAPOLIS. SO THOSE ARE MEDICAL CANNABIS LICENSES, RECREATIONAL CANNABIS LICENSES AND LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE LICENSES. THESE LICENSES COVER [11:15] **Sara Roman:** EVERY STAGE OF THE PROCESS FROM SEED TO SALE, SO WE HAVE CULTIVATORS, WE HAVE PRODUCERS, MANUFACTURERS, WE HAVE RETAILERS AND WE HAVE TRANSPORTERS AND DELIVERY SERVICES. WE ALSO HAVE THREE LICENSE TYPES THAT ALLOW VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF BUSINESSES. SO THAT'S ALLOWING CULTIVATION, PRODUCTION AND RETAIL UNDER ONE LICENSE. THAT TENDS TO BE IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE TYPES OF LICENSES THAT ARE BEING OFFERED AND THE NUMBER OF LICENSES BEING OFFERED AT THE STATE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CAP ON THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF MICROBUSINESSES THAT ARE BEING ALLOWED. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR THESE VERTICALLY INTEGRATED LICENSES AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF INTEREST IN HAVING CULTIVATION, PRODUCT REPRODUCTION AND RETAIL UNDER ONE LICENSE. SO WHAT THIS [12:03] **Sara Roman:** LOOKS LIKE IN OUR CODE AND IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU SAW AT COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE IS THAT WE HAVE ORGANIZED THE CODE TO BE BASED ON THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY BEING CONDUCTED ON A PROPERTY. SO THE FIRST DRAFT THAT YOU ALL SAW IN JUNE AT COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WAS BASED ON THE LICENSE TYPE BEING OFFERED BY THE STATE. [12:23] **Sara Roman:** THOSE LICENSE TYPES ALLOW BUSINESSES TO CONDUCT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AND THEY CAN CHANGE OVER TIME. SO IT'S SIMPER TO ADMINISTER FROM STAFF PERSPECTIVE AND FROM THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND IF WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS ARE YOU CONDUCTING ON A PROPERTY. SO FOR EXAMPLE, GROWING CANNABIS IS CONSIDERED AN URBAN FARM USE, AND WE ARE PROPOSING TO ALLOW THAT IN OUR PRODUCTION DISTRICTS IN PR1 AND PR2 WITH SPECIFIC USE STANDARDS INVOLVED. SELLING CANNABIS PRODUCTS AT A RETAIL STORE IS CONSIDERED TO BE A CANNABIS DISPENSARY PERMITTED IN OUR CM2, 3, 4 DOWNTOWN AND PRODUCTION DISTRICTS LIMITED TO FIVE CONTIGUOUS AREA REQUIREMENT SO TO PERMIT DISPENSARIES. WITH [13:09] **Sara Roman:** GENERAL AND SPECIFIC USE STANDARDS. LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE RETAILERS UNDER THIS DRAFT ARE NOT PROPOSED TO CHANGE FROM THE WAY THESE BUSINESSES ARE OPERATING TODAY. SO THOSE BUSINESSES ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERED GENERAL RETAIL SALES AND SERVICES, THEY CAN BE STAND ALONE BUSINESSES OR THEY CAN BE ACCESSORY TO ANY NUMBER OF OTHER TYPES OF BUSINESSES LIKE HAIR SALONS OR COFFEE SHOPS THAT WILL ALL BE PERMITTED TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY. AND INTO THE FUTURE. WE ALSO HAVE PLANNING AND ORGANIZING OF CANNABIS EVENTS THAT'S CONSIDERED AN OFFICE USE. [13:42] **Sara Roman:** IT DOESN'T ENTITLE YOU TO HAVE AN EVENT IN ANY PARTICULAR PLACE, IT JUST ALLOWS YOU TO PLAN IT. ON-SITE CONSUMPTION OF CANNABIS AND LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE PRODUCTS WILL BE ALLOWED ACCESSORY TO A CANNABIS RETAILER OR LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE RETAILER, JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THE STATE IS MANDATING THAT ON-SITE CONSUMPTION BE OF NONSMOKEABLE PRODUCTS SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EDIBLE PRODUCT PRODUCTS FOR CANNABIS AND LOWER-POTENCY EDIBLES INSIDE A BUILDING. TRANSPORTING CANNABIS DIRECTLY TO COMMERCIALS AND BETWEEN CANNABIS BUSINESSES WILL ALSO BE ALLOWED IN OUR RESIDENTIAL MIXED USE, COMMERCIAL MIXED USE, DOWNTOWN AND PRODUCTION DISTRICTS AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT STORING A FLEET OF VEHICLES IF YOU ARE STORING A FLEET OF VEHICLES THAT WOULD BE [14:28] **Sara Roman:** A PRODUCTION USE. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION USES. SO THIS IS MANUFACTURING CANNABIS CONCENTRATES AND PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURING LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE CONCENTRATES AND EDIBLE PRODUCTS, TESTING CANNABIS, SO THOSE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LABS AND WHOLESALING AND WAREHOUSING. SO THIS IS ONE OF THE OTHER MAJOR CHANGES FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WHERE PREVIOUSLY WE WERE ONLY ALLOWING MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION TO BE AN HOUR. PRODUCTION DISTRICTS NOW WE ARE ALLOWING IT MORE BROADLY IN THE CM2, 3, 4 DOWNTOWN 1, 2 AND PRODUCTION DISTRICTS, AND THAT MIRRORS WHAT WE REQUIRE FOR DISTILLERIES AND [15:15] **Sara Roman:** BREWERIES. TESTING OF CANNABIS PRODUCTS WILL BE PERMITTED IN THIS COMMERCIAL MIXED USE DISTRICTS DOWNTOWN AND PRODUCTION DISTRICTS. AND WHOLESALING AND WAREHOUSING WILL BE PERMITTED IN THE PRODUCTION DISTRICT IT IS SAME WAY OTHER WHOLESALING AND WAREHOUSES ARE REGULATED TODAY. THE RO PROPOSED REGULATIONS WILL ALLOW FOR THOSE VERTICALLY INTEGRATED LICENSES TO HAVE MANUFACTURING AND RETAIL IN ONE PLACE IN A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, BUT WE HAVEN'T GONE SO FAR AS TO ALLOW CULTIVATION IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS AT THIS POINT IN TIME. [15:48] **Sara Roman:** THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES. SO FOR EXAMPLE ST. PAUL IS, THEY HAVE ADOPTED REGULATIONS AND THEY ARE ALLOWING SOME LEVEL OF CULTIVATION IN THEIR COMMERCIAL MIXED USE DISTRICTS. AND CERTAINLY HAPPY TO ANSWER FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT. BUT DO WANT TO POINT IT OUT THAT WE ARE ALLOWING SOME LEVEL OF THAT VERTICAL INTEGRATION BUT WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ALLOWING ALL THREE OPERATION OPERATIONS IN ONE SPACE UNLESS YOU ARE LOCATED IN A PRODUCTION DISTRICT. [16:14] **Sara Roman:** AND THEN THOSE CANNABIS DELIVERY SERVICE AND TRANSPORTER LICENSES WHERE THEY ARE STORING FLEET VEHICLES WILL BE A CONDITIONAL USE IN THE PRODUCTION DISTRICT THE SAME WAY THOSE USES ARE REGULATED TODAY. SO A SPECIFIC USE STANDARDS ARE THE HOW THESE BUSINESSES OPERATE IT. IF THESE ZONING DISTRICTS ARE WHERE SPECIFIC USE STANDARDS ARE HOW. [16:36] **Sara Roman:** FOR ALL OUR USES WE ARE NOT ALLOWING HOME OCCUPATIONS. THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO ANY OF THE REGULATIONS THAT THE STATE ALLOWS FOR HOME CULTIVATION. SO YOU CAN STILL GROW UP TO EIGHT PLANTS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS FOR PERSONAL USE BUT IF YOU WANT TO RUN A CANNABIS OR LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE BUSINESS YOU NEED TO FIND A COMMERCIAL OR PRODUCTION SPACE FOR THAT. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CANNABIS EVENT PLANNING BECAUSE THAT IS JUST AN OFFICE USE. WE ARE NOT ALLOWING OUTDOOR SALES OF THESE PRODUCTS SO THAT IS SIMILAR OR THE SAME AS WHAT WE REQUIRE FOR LIQUOR AND FOR TOBACCO. AND OUR SIGNAGE REGULATIONS PROHIBIT PORTABLE SIGNS, TEMPORARY, BACK LIT AND FREESTANDING SIGNS. AND THAT IS THE SAME AS WHAT WE REQUIRE FOR [17:21] **Sara Roman:** EXCLUSIVE TOBACCO SHOPS AS WELL AS A HANDFUL OF OTHER BUSINESSES LIKE PAWNSHOPS FOR EXAMPLE WHERE SIGNAGE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE. DO WANT TO NOTE HERE THAT THE STATE DOES LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF SIGNS A BUSINESS CAN HAVE. AND ALSO PROHIBITS OUTDOOR ADVERTISE. SO THINGS LIKE BILLBOARDS PROMOTING CANNABIS PRODUCTS WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED UNDER STATE LAW. WE HAVE ADDITIONAL USE STANDARDS FOR CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURING USES AS WELL AS FOR WHOLESALERS. [17:50] **Sara Roman:** WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY PROPOSING TO ALLOW ANY OUTDOOR CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS. THE STATE DOES ALLOW IT, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE NOT ALLOW ANY OUTDOOR CULTIVATION. WE ARE REQUIRING THAT THESE BUSINESSES SUBMIT AN ODOR MITIGATION AND AIR FILTRATION PLAN THAT WOULD BE REVIEWED BY OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STAFF. WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT LIGHT AND GLARE FROM INTERIOR LIGHTING SHOULD BE CONFINED TO THE INTERIOR OF THE STRUCTURE. WE HAVE A REQUIREMEN FOR ADEQUATE SECURITY TO BE REQUIRED. THAT IS A STATE REQUIREMENT AS WELL SO THEY'LL JUST BE SUBMITTING TO US EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE SUBMITTING TO THE STATE. SO WE HAVE IT AND WE CAN REVIEW IT WITH THEM. AND THEY'LL COMPLY WITH NOISE STANDARDS FOUND IN THE CODE WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY [18:36] **Sara Roman:** REGULATING TO A LEVEL THAT'S FOR LIKE AN INDUSTRIAL USE. WE ALSO HAVE LIMITS ON MANUFACTURING AND OUR COMMERCIAL AND DOWNTOWN DISTRICTS THAT MIRROR WHAT WE REQUIRE FOR BREWERIES AND DISTILLERIES. SO IF YOU WANT TO DO MANUFACTURING IN THOSE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS OR DOWNTOWN DISTRICTS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO HAVE A RETAIL PURPOSE YOU NEED TO HAVE A RETAIL COMPONENT TO YOUR BUSINESS. YOU CAN'T ONLY DO MANUFACTURING IN THOSE DISTRICTS. AND THEN IN OUR RESIDENTIAL MIXED USE DISTRICTS AND COMMERCIAL MIXED USE 1 DISTRICT, MANUFACTURING IS LIMITED TO ADDING PREMADE CONCENTRATES TO SETTLE RECEIVERS. SO THAT REMOVES THE VOLATILITY COMPONENT OF THAT PRODUCTION, MAKES IT MORE SAFE TO BE IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS, ALLOWS THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING IN THIS [19:22] **Sara Roman:** MANNER, SO FOR EXAMPLE A BREWERY THAT'S ADDING TINCTURE TO MAKE A THC BEVERAGE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO DO SO. WE ALSO HAVE SPECIFIC USE STANDARDS FOR DISPENSARIES. SO WE ARE NOT HAVING A LICENSE CAP PROPOSED UNDER THIS UNDER THE REGULATIONS. THE STATE REQUIRED MINIMUM IS THAT WE HAVE TO ALLOW AT LEAST 34 LICENSES FOR DISPENSARIES. SO WE CANNOT CREATE REGULATIONS THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO HAVE 34 OR LESS. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A NUMBER IN THE CODE THAT SAYS ONCE WE HAVE 35 OR ONCE WE HAVE 36 WE'RE GOING TO STOP. WHAT WE HAVE ARE THE ZONING DISTRICT REGULATIONS. SO WE HAVE SOME [20:07] **Sara Roman:** SPACING REQUIREMENTS. OUR FIRST IS THAT A DISPENSARY MUST BE LOCATED AT LEAST 500 FEET FROM A SCHOOL GRADES K-12. AND THAT WAS AN ASK FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOL BOARD. SO WE'RE HONORING THAT HERE. AND THEN THE SECOND IS A 500-FOOT SPACING DISTANCE BETWEEN DISPENSARIES UNLESS YOU ARE IN DOWNTOWN. WE ALSO HAVE A USE STANDARD THAT THE DISPENSARY MUST BE LOCATED WITHIN A CONTIGUOUS COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL AREA OF AT LEAST 5-ACRES. SO THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MODE OF COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES ALL CONNECTED, THEY TOUCH EACH OTHER, AT LEAST FIVE ACRES IN ORDER TO HAVE A DISPENSARY. [20:50] **Sara Roman:** ADDITIONALLY A DISPENSARY CANNOT SHARE A COMMON ENTRANCE WITH A NON-CANNABIS USE. SO FOR EXAMPLE WE WOULDN'T ALLOW A DISPENSARY TO BE LOCATED INSIDE OF A GROCERY STORE OR A PHARMACY. AND THEY WILL ALSO NEED TO SUBMIT AN ODOR CONTROL AND AIR FILTRATION PLAN. SO THIS IS A MAP SHOWING WHAT THIS PROPOSAL LOOKS LIKE GEOGRAPHICALLY. SO ALL THESE COLORED AREAS ARE PLACES IN THE CITY THAT WOULD ALLOW A DISPENSARY TO BE LOCATED IF THEY MEET THE SPACING REQUIREMENT FROM ANOTHER DISPENSARY EXCEPT FOR IN DOWNTOWN. AND THEN THOSE YELLOW BLOBS ARE THE BUFFER DISTANCE FROM A SCHOOL. SO AS LONG AS YOU AREN'T WITHIN A YELLOW BLOB AND YOU AREN'T WITHIN 500 FEET [21:36] **Sara Roman:** OF ANOTHER DISPENSARY THOSE COLORED AREAS ARE WHERE WE WOULD ALLOW A DISPENSARY UNDER THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS. ACCESSORY USES IS BEEFIER THAN IT USED TO BE AND ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE NOW ADDRESSING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT LICENSE COMBINATIONS THAT CAN OCCUR UNDER THE STATE. [21:56] **Sara Roman:** ALL THIS REALLY SAYS IS IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THESE VERTICALLY INTEGRATED LICENSES WE ALLOW THEM AS LONG AS THEY'RE COMPLYING WITH THE USE STANDARDS AND ZONING CODE REGULATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. AND THAT WE'RE ALSO ALLOWING FOR SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCESSORY USES LIKE MANUFACTURING AND CULTIVATION, ACCESSORY TO A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY BECAUSE WE HAVE PROGRAM IN THE CITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF COURSEWORK OR DEGREE PROGRAMS OFFERED TO THEIR DISUNITIES. WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW THOSE TO CONTINUE. AND THEN CANNABIS DELIVERY SERVICES, CANNABIS TRANSPORTERS, THEY WILL BE PALPERMITTED ACCESSORY TO [22:43] **Sara Roman:** CANNABIS BUSINESS. OUR STEPS WILL BE FORTHCOMING. THOSE WON'T BE COMPLETED BY ZONING ADMINISTRATION STAFF OR PLANNING STAFF, EXCUSE ME. THE REGISTRATION ORDINANCE WILL BE COMPLETED BY A BUSINESS LICENSING STAFF IN WINTER 2024-25. AND THEN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FOLKS WILL WORK TO COMPLETE AN ORDINANCE RELATED TO ODOR MITIGATION AS WELL OVER THE WINTER. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I IMAGINE THERE'S GOING TO BE PLENTY OF QUESTIONS SO I WILL STAND FOR THEM. [23:10] **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU, SARAH. COMMISSIONER, BEFORE WE PROCEED THE PUBLIC HEARING, ARE THERE QUESTIONS FROM STAFF? COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL. **Commissioner Campbell:** I HAVE TWO IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE IT. ONE, SO IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING, COMMISSIONER MEYER RAISED SORT OF THE PREDICAMENT OF SPACES FOR SMOKEABLE CANNABIS AS AN EQUITY ISSUE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SHARED APARTMENT BUILDINGS. I NOTICED THEY ARE PROHIBITED FROM THE CURRENT ZONING REGULATIONS. [23:46] **Commissioner Campbell:** CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY THAT IS AND HOW WE -- **Sara Roman:** SURE. THANK YOU, CHAIR MEYER, COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL. SO, THAT MIRRORS STATE REGULATIONS. SO THE STATE HAS SAID THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ALLOW ON-SITE CONSUMPTION TO INCLUDE SMOKEABLE PRODUCTS. IF A BUSINESS WANTED TO DO SOMETHING OUTDOORS, THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE ZONING CODE FOR ON-SITE CONSUMPTION WITHIN THE INSIDE OF A BUILDING. [24:17] **Commissioner Campbell:** GOT IT. OKAY. SO THAT'S A STATE ISSUE, NOT A LOCAL ISSUE? **Sara Roman:** CORRECT. **Commissioner Campbell:** OKAY. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CORRESPONDENCE TO ME PERSONALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON A TOPIC BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THE FIVE ACRE SPACE JUSTIFICATION. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT RECOMMENDATION, HOW YOU LANDED THERE, AND WHY YOU WOULD RECOMMEND A FIVE ACRE DISTANCE AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING LIKE A THREE ACRE DISTANCE? [24:51] **Sara Roman:** YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO, WHEN WE WERE THINKING ABOUT WHERE TO ALLOW THESE BUSINESSES TO BE LOCATED, AND I'LL ACTUALLY PULL UP ON THAT IN A SECOND HERE, WE KNEW WE WANTED TO BE MORE PERMISSIVE THAN THE CURRENT REGULATIONS FOR OTHER TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE CONSIDERED SIMILAR LIKE EXCLUSIVE TOW QUAR EXCLUSIVE TOBACCO, TO ENSURE ACCESS TO THIS MARKET. WE DECIDED THAT UNLIKE TOBACCO AND LIQUOR STORE THAT IS ARE ONLY ALLOWED IN CN3 AND ABOVE OR A NEW STORE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME THAT EXIST OUTSIDE OF THAT TODAY THAT ALREADY EXIST, BUT WE [25:37] **Sara Roman:** INCLUDED THE CM2 DISTRICT. THE CM2 DISTRICT ALSO INCLUDES LOTS OF VERY SMALL POCKETS OF RETAIL. AND SO THE CONCERN WAS THAT WITHOUT HAVING A CONTIGUOUS AREA REQUIREMENT THAT WE WOULD BE CAPTURING VERY SMALL NODES OF RETAIL THAT COULD BE ONE OR TWO PROPERTIES THAT WOULD HAVE POTENTIALLY AN OUTSIZED HARM FROM HAVING A CANNABIS DISPENSARY, SIMILAR TO MAYBE HAVING AN OUTSIZED HARM IF YOU ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE A LIQUOR STORE, WE CHOSE FIVE ACRES BECAUSE THAT LANGUAGE ALREADY EXISTS FOR LIQUOR STORES. SO LIQUOR STORES ARE ALREADY REQUIRED TO BE LOCATED IN A FIVE S [26:23] **Sara Roman:** WHY WE MADE THAT COMPARISON. WE DID NOT NECESSARILY STUDY WHETHER THREE ACRES WAS THE RIGHT SIZE OR TWO ACRES. BUT I CAN SHOW YOU SOME MAPS OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE DON'T INCLUDE THE ACREAGE REQUIREMENT AND SHOWS THE SIZE OF THOSE PARCELS. [26:38] **Commissioner Campbell:** THAT WOULD BE GREAT. **Sara Roman:** SO THIS IS A MAP COMPARING WHERE WE ALLOW WHERE WE ARE PROPOSING TO ALLOW DISPENSARIES VERSUS WHERE WE CURRENTLY ALLOW LIQUOR STORES AND TOBACCO STORES. SO LIQUOR AND TOBACCO ON THE RIGHT, PROPOSED FOR NEW CANNABIS DISPENSARIES ON THE LEFT. AND SO I KNOW THESE MAPS ARE SMALL ON OUR SCREEN. BUT THE CONTIGUOUS AREA REQUIREMENT SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY IS THE MAP ON THE RIGHT, IF WE HAVE NO CONTIGUOUS AREA REQUIREMENT IT'S THE MAP ON THE LEFT SO MUCH YOU CAN START TO SEE WE HAVE WE'RE INCLUDING SOME SMALL [27:23] **Sara Roman:** POCKETS OF COMMERCIAL. AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT HOW SMALL THEY ACTUALLY ARE, AND MAYBE I'LL TRY TO ZOOM IN, SEE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE BEING EXCLUDED WITH THAT FIVE CONTIGUOUS ACRE REQUIREMENT. [27:57] **Sara Roman:** SO I'LL JUST PAN DOWN SLOWLY THROUGH THE CITY. SO HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE SIZE OF SOME OF THESE DISTRICTS THAT ARE BEING INCLUDED OR NOT INCLUDED WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT CONTIGUOUS COMMERCIAL ZONED AREAS. WE DO HAVE SOME POCKETS THAT ARE RIGHT ON THE CUSP, MAYBE THEY'RE 3-ACRES. BUT WE [28:42] **Sara Roman:** ALSO HAVE SOME RETAIL NODES THAT ARE VERY, VERY SMALL AS WELL. **Commissioner Campbell:** SARAH, I'M SORRY, I SAID I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, I ACTUALLY HAVE THREE NOW. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO THE REGULATORS, THE INSPECTORS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO ENFORCE THIS CODE THAT THE CANNABIS REGULATION MIRROR TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE OUR LIQUOR STORE REGULATIONS? [29:07] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. SO, WE WILL HAVE A INSPECTOR WITHIN OUR ZONING DEPARTMENT WHO WILL BE OUR CANNABIS COMPLIANCE OFFICIAL, CANNABIS COMPLIANCE COORDINATOR I BELIEVE IS THEIR TITLE, WHO WILL BE PARTIALLY BUSINESS LICENSING AND PARTIALLY ZONE. IT WILL BE THEIR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE REGULATING THESE CODES. SO, ALL OF OUR INSPECTORS ARE ASKED TO LEARN THE FULL BREADTH OF THE CODE, THEY COULD ADMINISTER THAT. [29:41] **Sara Roman:** IT'S FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, SIMPLER TO ADMINISTER CODES WHEN THEY MATCH. IT'S EASIER TO TELL THE PUBLIC THIS CODE APPLIES, IT'S ALWAYS FIVE ACRES. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THE CODE WITH WHATEVER OUTCOME OCCURS. [29:58] **Commissioner Campbell:** OKAY. THANKS. **Chris Meyer:** COMMISSIONER CONLEY, DO YOU HAVE YOURS? GO AHEAD. **Commissioner Conley:** THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, REALLY HELPFUL. I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE, I WAS NOT AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE SO IF THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MATTRESSED, MY BAD. BUT I HAVE TWO AROUND THE SPACING. [30:17] **Commissioner Conley:** SO, THE 500 FEET IS FROM A SCHOOL K-1 IS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD. KIND OF WHERE YOU GOT THAT DISTANCE. I WONDERED IS THERE A CITY REQUIREMENT FOR THE NUMBER OF FEET A TOBACCO SHOP HAS TO BE FROM A SCHOOL K-12? [30:38] **Commissioner Conley:** I'LL EVEN SAY IS THERE A CITY REQUIREMENT FOR THE NUMBER OF FEET A LIQUOR STORE WOULD NEED TO BE FROM A SCHOOL AND WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WOULD BE. **Sara Roman:** COMMISSIONER CONLEY, I APOLOGIZE, I DO NOT KNOW WITH CERTAINTY IF WE HAVE A SPACING DISTANCE FOR SCHOOLS FROM THOSE USES. I DON'T BELIEVE WE DO. [30:57] **Sara Roman:** BUT I DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK. **Commissioner Conley:** I CAN'T IMAGINE LIKE A TOBACCO SHOP WOULD BE ACROSS THE STREET, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME. THAT'S OKAY. THAT NEVER HAPPENS. BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW. [31:13] **Commissioner Conley:** SO THAT WOULD BE ONE I'D CERTAINLY WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON. AND THEN DID NPS GIVE A REASONING FOR THE 500 FEET? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S IN STATUTE? IS THAT JUST THERE, SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM COMFORTABLE? WHERE DID THEY GET THAT NUMBER FROM? [31:29] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CONLEY. WE DID NOT DIG INTO THAT PROCESS WITH THEM. SO WE JUST TOOK THE RECOMMENDATION AND MOVED FORWARD WITH IT. WE WERE ORIGINALLY PROPOSING 350 FEET, WHICH IS ABOUT AN EAST-WEST CITY BLOCK. AND ASKED THE MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOL BOARD WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THAT. AND THEY WERE, THEY CAME BACK TO US WITH 500 FEET AS AN OPTION SO WE MOVED FORWARD THERE. AS A TOUCH POINT IN TIME, ST. PAUL JUST ADOPTED THEIR REGULATIONS AND THEY ARE 300 FEET FOR A SPACING REQUIREMENT FROM SCHOOLS K-12. [32:01] **Commissioner Conley:** THANK YOU. MAYBE I'LL DO A LITTLE GOOGLING ON THE TOBACCO SHOP STICKUP. THANK YOU. **Chris Meyer:** AND I'LL JUST ADD ON THAT, COMMISSIONER EMERICK WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN US TONIGHT BUT I HAD A TEXT CONVERSATION WITH HIM BEFORE THE MEETING HERE. AND THEY SAID THEY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ABOUTHERE WAS A RANGE BETWEEN 350 AND 14,000 FEET THAT IT COULD BE SET AT. I RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS ASKING TO INCREASE IT FROM THE 500 SQUARE FRUIT FROM A SCHOOL TO 700 FEET, WHICH IN THE STAFF REPORT SAYS THAT 350 FEET IS ABOUT ONE RESIDENTIAL BLOCK, COMMERCIAL BLOCK IS LARGER THAN THAT BUT THAT'S ABOUT ONCE 700 WOULD MATCH TO ABOUT 2. I ASKED IF THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD ANY [32:47] **Chris Meyer:** THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT. AND DIRECTOR EMERICK WROTE THAT 500 VERSUS 700 FEET SEEMS ARBITRARY AND ISN'T A HILL THAT THEY'D DIE ON. STAYING AT 500 OR MOVING TO 700, NEITHER IS GOING TO STEP ON MPS'S TOES, THEY ARE FINE EITHER WAY, IT'S PRETTY SMALL POTATOES IN THE CURRENT SCHEME OF THINGS. [33:13] **Chris Meyer:** SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG OPINION EITHER WAY ON THAT. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT. AND I'LL LET THEM DO THAT. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN FIGURING OUT WHERE WE WANT TO LAND ON THAT, BECAUSE IN THE STAFF REPORT YOU SHOWED US A LOT OF DIFDIFFERENT CITIES. SOME FROM LOWER, SOME VOA HAVE HIGHER, BOTH 500 AND 700 WOULD BE IN THE MIDDLE. ABOUT THE MINNESOTA CLEAN AIR ACT, I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THEIR EXISTING TOBACCO LOUNGES IN MINNEAPOLIS WHERE YOU CAN SMOKE INDOOR. THERE'S ONE AT [33:58] **Chris Meyer:** THE COPPER APARTMENTS IN NORTH LOOP. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY USED TO GET THAT. IT'S A MEMBERS ONLY THING, MAYBE THAT'S IT. BUT JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, THERE'S NO LOOPHOLE THAT SOMEONE COULD SET UP A CANNABIS LOUNGE AND SMOKE INDOORS PERMITTED BY THIS. IS THAT CORRECT? [34:16] **Sara Roman:** CHAIR MEYER, THAT IS CORRECT. THAT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM READING THE STATE LAW THAT THERE IS NO CURRENT EXEMPTION TO ALLOW ON-SITE CONSUMPTION OF CANNABIS IN A SMOKEABLE FORM. **Chris Meyer:** OKAY. COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. [34:34] **Commissioner Thompson:** THANK YOU. SO, I HAVE A QUESTION. YOU SAID YOU CONSULTED MPS. DID YOU CONSULT OTHER SCHOOLS, LIKE CHARTER SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK? LIKE A BLANKET. [34:49] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, WE DID NOT CONSULT OTHER SCHOOLS. WE ONLY CONSULTED MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOL BOARD. **Commissioner Thompson:** DID YOU CONSULT PARKS? **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. WE DID NOT CONSULT THE PARK BOARD ON THIS AT ALL EITHER. WE ARE PERMITTED TO SPACE FROM PARKS RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES AND AREAS OF A PARK THAT ARE FREQUENTED BY MINORS AND DAY CARES. AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHERE THOSE WERE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE MADE AN ASSESSMENT THAT IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO BE BOTH PERMISSIVE AND TO HAVE SPACING FROM THOSE TYPES OF USES. [35:36] **Sara Roman:** PARTICULARLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING A SPACING DISTANCE FROM A PARK. SO WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO SHOW WHAT PORTION OF A PARK IS FREQUENTED BY MINORS. AND SO I THINK THE RECOMMENDATION OF CITY ATTORNEYS WE WOULD JUST USE THE ENTIRE PARK BOUNDARY TO AVOID ANY SORT OF LEGAL DISPUTE OVER THOSE ARBITRARY BOUNDARIES THAT WE WERE DRAWING OTHERWISE. [36:03] **Sara Roman:** AND WE HAVE PARKS ACROSS THE CITY. IT'S AN ASSET OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. BUT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO DO ANY SIGNIFICANT SPACING FROM THOSE TYPES OF USES. **Commissioner Thompson:** THANK YOU FOR THAT. I MEAN ALL PARKS ARE FILLED WITH MINORS. WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE DATA. I DON'T KNOW IF -- IF YOU'RE AWARE THAT RICK PLUS IS BASICALLY AFTER SCHOOL CARE FOR ALL THE KIDS AT EVERY SINGLE PARK BUILDING. SO WE KNOW MINORS ARE THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SPACING, AND NOT NECESSARILY AN ADVOCATE FOR LOWERING 500 FEET, DID YOU EVER RUN THE NUMBERS OF IF IT WERE 350, SAY, AND YOU ADDED IN THE PARK REC SITES LIKE [36:49] **Commissioner Thompson:** THE CENTER BUILDINGS, WOULD THAT CHANGE THE POPULATION OF THE MAP? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE SAME GEOGRAPHIC AREA BUT YOU WOULD JUST PROTECT THAT SPACE. DID THAT EVER COME UP. **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. SO WE NEBULARLY WHEN WE WERE DEBATING WHAT THESE REGULATIONS WOULD LOOK LIKE, WE CREATED A MAP THAT SHOWED ALL THE PARKS, ALL THE SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES AND IF WE DID THE MAXIMUM SPACING THAT STATE LAW ALLOWS US TO SO THE 500-FOOT SPACING, AND THEN THE 1,000-FOOT SPACEING FROM SCHOOLS AND IT REMOVED ALL THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE MOVED TOWARDS JUST ALLOWING OR JUST REQUIRING SPACING FROM SCHOOLS AND NOT FROM OTHER TYPES OF USES. [37:29] **Commissioner Thompson:** THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. I WILL SAY AS A PARK COMMISSIONER, IT'S CHALLENGING. LOOK, AS A CITIZEN I HAVE CERTAIN THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS BUT AS A PARK COMMISSIONER IT PUTS OUR BOARD INTO A VERY CHALLENGING POSITION, KNOW THAT WE WEREN'T CONSULTED AND YET WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO NOW DEAL WITH OUR OWN SORT OF COMPLICATED AUTONOMOUS WHATEVER, WHICH MAY END UPCOMING BACK TO CITY STUFF. [37:56] **Commissioner Thompson:** THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE THE ANSWERS. BUT YEAH, THANK YOU. **Chris Meyer:** ONE QUESTION BEFORE I TURN TO COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. DID YOU CONSIDER MAYBE DISTANCING FROM PLAYGROUNDS SPECIFICALLY AS OPPOSED TO PARKS? [38:11] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, CHAIR MEYER. SO, WE WERE CAUTIONED ON DRAWING ANY SORT OF ARBITRARY BOUNDARIES WITHIN THAT PARK AS A BROADER LAND USE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE ARBITRARY. AND SO WE COULD USE LIKE WHERE THE MULCH GOES TO OR OTHER TYPE OF BOUNDARIES. BUT THAT OPENS US UP TO BEING QUESTIONED ABOUT THAT BOUNDARY. [38:38] **Sara Roman:** AND WE FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE MORE CLEAR TO JUST USE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ENTIRE PARK AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE ARE THE AREAS OF THE PLAYGROUND WHERE ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE THE SOCCER FIELDS, THAT SORT OF THING. [38:55] **Chris Meyer:** OKAY. **Commissioner Thompson:** MAY I ASK ONE MORE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION? **Chris Meyer:** YES. **Commissioner Thompson:** AND THIS IS -- I'M SPIT BALANCING HERE. I WAS NOT AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE THAT JUNE I BELIEVE I WAS OUT OF TOWN. DID YOU EVER THINK OF ADDING INTO THIS ZONING CODE JUST LIKE GENERAL NUMERIC EVEN LIKE 100-FOOT BUFFER FROM A PARK SITCOMS DOWN BUT THERE'S STILL A LEVEL OF IT'S NOT ACROSS THE STREET? I'M JUST SPIT BALANCING. BUT I PERSONALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT ADDED IN, JUST TO LEGALLY AND OTHERWISE PROTECT THAT SPACE. THANK YOU. [39:32] **Sara Roman:** COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, WE DID NOT EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS FOR SPACING. SO WE DID NOT DO A HUNDRED FOOT SPACING MAP. I THINK IT GETS INTO SOME GRAY AREA PARTICULARLY WITH DATA TO SHOW WHETHER OR NOT THESE TYPES OF SPACING DISTANCES AFFECT THINGS LIKE YOUTH ACCESS. I THINK CERTAINLY AS PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT PEOPLE CONSUMING CANNABIS PRODUCTS IN PARKS. BUT FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, THE CLEAREST FORM OF THE REGULATIONS FOR US WERE TO FOCUS ON SCHOOLS. AND SO I DO APOLOGIZE, WE DID NOT DO OTHER TYPES OF SPACING REQUIREMENTS LIKE 100 FEET FROM A PARK. [40:16] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THANK YOU. MY FIRST QUESTION IS KIND OF UNDERSTANDING IF THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY CITY REQUIREMENTS OR IF THERE'S REQUIREMENTS FROM THE STATE THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON DISPENSARIES IN TERMS OF HOW YOU ENTER IT, LIKE SECURITY VISITING DISPENSARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, OFTENTIMES YOU HAVE TO ENTER LIKE A SECURED LOBBY, SHARE YOUR ID, AND THEN YOU GET LET IN, WHAT IS THAT -- ARE THERE REQUIREMENTS WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS? [40:47] **Sara Roman:** GOOD QUESTION. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. WE ARE RELYING ON STATE RULEMAKING FOR THIS WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY COMPLETE. SO WE HAVE SEEN DRAFT REGULATIONS UNDER RULEMAKING THAT HAVE LAID OUT THAT PRODUCT NOT BE VISIBLE. BUT THERE ARE NOT -- THERE IS NOT CURRENTLY LANGUAGE IN RULEMAKING THAT WOULD REQUIRE SOMETHING LIKE AN ENTRANCE SPACE WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR ID CHECKED PRIOR TO GOING INTO A CANNABIS DISPENSARY. SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HANDLED AT THE STATE LEVEL THROUGH RULEMAKING. AND WE DON'T HAVE FINALIZED RULES YET. SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. [41:25] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE A POTENTIAL TIMELINE ON RULEMAKING THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE STATE? **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. THEY ARE PROJECTING -- LET'S SEE. OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT IS PROJECTING THEY WILL COMPLETE RULEMAKING FALL/SPRING 2025 -- EXCUSE ME, WINTER/SPRING 2025. [41:47] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** AND THEN THE FOLLOW-UP TO THAT IS WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR RULEMAKING, WHERE DOES IT PUT POTENTIAL BUSINESS OWNERS IN RECEIVING A LICENSE FOR THE CITY? WHEN WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO GET A LICENSE AND START OPERATING? [42:02] **Sara Roman:** GREAT QUESTION, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. SO THE WAY THAT THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT HAS APPROACHED LICENSING IS THAT WHAT THEY ARE OFFERING FOR SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS IS A PREAPPROVAL. SO THEY ARE CURRENTLY VETTING I BELIEVE IT'S OVER 1500 APPLICATIONS FOR? [42:25] **Sara Roman:** AABSOLUTELIES THAT WILL ALLOW A PREAUTHORIZATION. SO WHAT THAT GIVES THOSE BUSINESSES THE ABILITY TO DO IS TO START LOOKING FOR SPACES TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS. BUT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BEGIN OPERATIONS UNTIL A FULL LICENSE IS ISSUED. [42:42] **Sara Roman:** AND THAT WILL OCCUR ONCE RULEMAKING IS COMPLETE. SO WE HAVE A POOL OF SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS THAT WILL ONCE THE STATE HAS GIVEN THEM THEIR PREAUTHORIZATION WILL BE LOOKING FOR SPACES IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. BUT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OPERATE UNTIL RULEMAKING IS COMPLETED AND THEIR LICENSE IS ISSUED. ALL THE STANDARD MILKS WILL BE WAITING UNTIL THAT LICENSE PROCESS IS STOOD UP AT THE STATE. THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THIS IS FOR EARLY CULTIVATION. SO IF YOU ARE A SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANT AND YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A LICENSE TYPE THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO CULTIVATE CANNABIS AND YOU RECEIVE A PREAUTHORIZATION, YOU CAN BEGIN TO CULTIVATE EARLY UNDER THE EXISTING RULES FOR [43:29] **Sara Roman:** MEDICAL CULTIVATION SOPHOMORE WE COULD SEE THAT TYPE OF LAND USE EARLIER THAN THE WINTER 2024 SPRING 2025 RULEMAKING PROCESS. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. SO SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS WILL BE ABLE TO STAKE OUT WHERE THEY COULD START THEIR BUSINESS AND KIND OF GET THE CHANCE TO DO THAT BEFORE OTHER APPLICANTS. [43:58] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE, I HAVE A SET OF QUESTIONS. I HOPE THAT'S ALL RIGHT. **Chris Meyer:** YEAH, PLEASE. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME FOLLOW-UPS. SO, IN TERMS OF THE SPACING THAT THE 500 VERSUS THE 350 I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSIONS AROUND, HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONSUL CON CONSULTATION WITH MPS. HOW HAVE BUSINESS OWNERS AND SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS REACTED TO THAT BUFFER ZONE? AND WERE THERE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT INCREASING THAT BUFFER ZONE FROM 350 TO 500? [44:42] **Sara Roman:** WE IT HAD A NUMBER OF LISTENING SESSIONS WITH EITHER CURRENT OR PERSPECTIVE THE WHOLE AND TODAY. AND THEYF WERE GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF A SPACING DISTANCE BETWEEN OPERATORS. SO IT PROVIDES SOME PROTECTION FROM OVERSATURATION AND OVERCROWDING TO HAVE SPACING BETWEEN DISPENSARIES, WHICH IS GOOD FOR SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS. THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY BUSINESSES THAT EXIST TODAY AS LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE BUSINESSES OR OTHERS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY ANY AMOUNT OF SPACING FROM SCHOOLS. SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE HEARD WAS [45:28] **Sara Roman:** THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THE ASK FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SCHOOLS TO HAVE SOME DISTANCE BETWEEN A DISPENSARY AND A SCHOOL. BUT THEY DID NOT NECESSARILY FEEL LIKE THE DATA SUPPORTED SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY WERE HAVING LIKE YOUTH ACCESS AND IF THAT DISTANCE PLAYED A PART IN WHETHER OR NOT THOSE TYPES OF METRICS WERE BEING REACHED. [45:57] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** YEAH. THANK YOU. AND I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH OPERATORS. THERE IS AN OPERATOR THAT'S LOCATED A POTENTIAL OPERATOR SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANT THAT'S LOCATED IN LIKE ONE OF THE MORE INDUSTRIAL AREAS, BUT THERE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT OPENED UP WITHIN THE INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR, WHICH ISN'T USUALLY TYPICAL FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND WHILE IN THEIR VIEW WHILE THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD LOCATION FOR THEM, IT FELT LIKE FOR THEM IT CUT INTO A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY WHERE THEY ALREADY [46:42] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** MIGHT HAVE PROPERTY OWNERSHIP. SO THAT'S ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK I'VE HEARD FROM TWO DIFFERENT OPERATORS. I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO GET INTO A DISCUSSION OF WHAT DOES A BUFFER ZONE FROM SCHOOLS DO AND HOW ARE WE ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT YOUTH ACT SUCCESS. AND I KIND OF BALANCING THIS THING WHERE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT YOUNG KIDS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO CANNABIS. [47:17] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE AGE LIMITATION THAT'S AVAILABLE BOTH FOR TOBACCO, FOR ALCOHOL AND BALANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE DISPENSARIES THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE ON THE NORTH SIDE AND THE SOUTH SIDE AND DOWNTOWN IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FITS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WORKS FOR OUR CITY AND CREATES A TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY AND MAYBE DIFFERENT SPACES. I THINK LIKE IN TERMS OF PREVENTING YOUTH ACCESS, RULEMAKING AND ACTUAL PROVISIONS [48:03] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THAT ARE PLACED UPON DISPENSARIES, LIKE ONE THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PRODUCT MAY NOT BE VISIBLE, IS THE BETTER PLACE FOR us TO CONSIDER HOW WE ACTUALLY DETER YOUTH ACCESS VERSUS A BUFFER ZONE. PERSONALLY I FEEL LIKE I WAS MORE SUPPORTIVE OF THE 350, JUST BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHERE PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO OPERATE A BUSINESS VERSUS THE 500. AND I'M ALSO KIND OF CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT IS THE LOGIC OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IN PICKING 500 AND WHAT IS THE LOGIC IN GENERAL FOR THESE BUFFER ZONES IN OUR CITY AND ACROSS CITIES, BECAUSE I'LL JUST GO BACK TO MY POINT. IF THE [48:48] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** PLACE IS REALLY PREVENTING YOUTH ACCESS, HOW DO WE MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INSIDE OF A DISPENSARY. I VISITED DISPENSARY IN LAS VEGAS, AND I COULDN'T EVEN SEE ANYTHING EVEN WHEN I WENT INSIDE OF THE DISPENSARY. AND THEN I HAD TO TALK TO AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS BEHIND A GLASS WINDOW. AND I HAD TO GIVE THEM MY ID AND THEY HAD TO APPROVE IT. AND THEN I GOT TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER DOOR. [49:19] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** AND THEN I HAD TO WAIT IN LINE. AND THEN THE SHOP OWNER OR RETAILER WAS LIKE, OKAY, NOW YOU'RE GOOD TO LOOK AT THE PRODUCTS. AND I FELT LIKE THAT IS SO MUCH MORE DIFFERENT FROM A LIQUOR STORE EVEN A TOBACCO SHOP. IF -- I REMEMBER BEING 17 YEARS OLD AND BEING ABLE TO STEP INTO A TOBACCO SHOP OR EVEN YOU CAN GO INTO A GAS STATION, AND YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE JEWELS. YOU CAN'T REALLY BUY JU, L AT THE GAS STATION ANYMORE. ALL THE DIFFERENT E-CIGARETTES AND CIGARETTES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU. AND THEN WHEN YOU GO INSIDE OF TARGET LIKE YOU COULD BE A KID AND IF THEY HAVE A LIQUOR STORE YOU CAN SEE ALL THE PRODUCTS THAT ARE THERE. SO I JUST FEEL THAT THIS [50:05] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** RESTRICTION AT THIS POINT FEELS A LITTLE BIT ARBITRARY IN SOME REGARD. LIKE I UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC OF WHY IT HAPPENED BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC AND ANALYSIS AROUND HOW WE GOT TO 500 AND MOVED AWAY FROM THE 50 AND ALSO WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS FROM THAT. SO IF YOU HAVE A RESPONSE TO ANY OF THE MAYBE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE GOT TO 500 AND THE LOGIC OF IT, MAYBE THERE'S SOME RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE AMONG PEER CITIES, I'D BE REALLY CURIOUS TO KNOW. [50:39] **Sara Roman:** COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, SO THE UNFORTUNATE THING ABOUT CANNABIS WHEN LOOKING AT STUDIES ABOUT POLICY, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION, BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T FUND LARGE STUDIES. WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES AND STATES HAVE DONE. AND WE DID NOT FIND A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DATA TO SUPPORT SPACING HAVING AN IMPACT ON YOUTH ACCESS BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE INTERNET SALES AND A VARIETY OF OTHER FACTORS. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT CANNABIS BUSINESSES DISPENSARIES TEND TO [51:25] **Sara Roman:** HAVE VERY HIGH COMPLIANCE RATES WITH AGE VERIFICATION. BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN MINNEAPOLIS. SO IT MAY BE TRUE HERE AND IT MAY NOT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE ANSWER IS WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DATA TO SUPPORT ANY SPECIFIC NUMBER BEING BETTER THAN ANY OTHER NUMBER OR BETTER THAN NO BUFFERING DISTANCE AT ALL. [51:46] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** DID THE SCHOOL BOARD OR EDUCATORS OR ELECTED LEADERS IN THE SCHOOL BOARD ARTICULATE THEIR LOGIC FOR WANTING A BUFFER ZONE? **Sara Roman:** COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, THANK YOU, NOT TO US. WE JUST ASKED THEM IF THEY WANTED ONE, AND THEY RECOMMENDED THE 500 FEET, AND WE MOVED FORWARD WITH THAT. [52:05] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** AND THEN ANOTHER FOLLOW-UP. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A SPACE THAT IS SPECIFIC TABLE OR WORKGROUP WITH THE STATE IN TERMS OF RULEMAKING OR A PLACE TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF ADVOCACY OF THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF RESTRICTIONS ON DISPENSARIES AND HOW WE'D LIKE TO OPERATE THOSE THOSE AS A CITY? [52:31] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU. WE'VE RESPONDED AS A CITY TO THE PROPOSED DRAFT OF THE RULEMAKING THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. BUT THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE REQUIRED PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT WOULD BE OPENED UP ONCE THE RULES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FORWARD. SO THERE WOULD BE SECOND ROUND WHERE THEY WILL BE ACCEPTING COMMENTS WHEN WE CAN RESUBMIT AND INTERFACE WITH THE STATE ON THOSE REGULATIONS. [52:56] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH THIS. I THINK I'M HAVING SOME PAUSE WITH THIS 500 FEET BUFFER, JUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S A DATABASE REASON FOR US TO RESTRICT SO MUCH MORE COMPARED TO OUR SISTER CITY ON WHERE THESE OPERATORS CAN GO. AND I JUST KIND OF FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES HERE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT IF YOUTH ACCESS IS THE ISSUE, HOW WE CAN DO THAT AND BE STRONGER ON IT TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL I THINK EVERYONE WANTS TO ACHIEVE. AND FOR ME PERSONALLY I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THE TWIN CITIES TO BE LINED UP ON A SIMILAR RESTRICTION AND I'D BE CURIOUS IN ANOTHER DISCUSSION TO KNOW [53:44] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** LIKE WHAT IS THEIR ZONING MAP LOOK LIKE FOR AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY. AND IT DOESN'T MAKE US LESS COMPETITIVE AS A CITY WITH A HIGHER RESTRICTION. SO THANK YOU. **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. FOLLOWING UP FOR THE FIRST QUESTION THAT COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY ASKED AND THE TIMING OF RULEMAKING. [54:03] **Chris Meyer:** IN A STAFF REPORT YOU TALK ABOUT A NEXT STEP AT THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO NEED TO TAKE, NOT IN THE PURVIEW OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION AND REQUIRING PLANS FOR FILTRATION AND ODOR CONTROL. HOW IS THAT GOING TO LINE UP WITH THE TIMELINE? ARE THERE GOING TO BE SHOPS THAT OPEN UP THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THOSE RULES GO INTO EFFECT? [54:30] **Sara Roman:** GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU, CHAIR MEYER. SO IDEALLY BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TODAY ABOUT WHEN PREAPPROVALS WILL BE ISSUED FROM THE STATE, WE EXPECT THAT ASSUMING WE HAVE REGULATIONS ADOPTED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS THAT WE WILL HAVE REGULATIONS IN PLACE PRIOR TO EVEN EARLY CULTIVATION. THE PREAPPROVAL PROCESS HAS JUST BEEN MUCH SLOWER THAN THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED IT WOULD BE. BUT WE HAVE ASKED THEM FOR A SPECIFIC DATE OR A GUESS ABOUT WHEN THOSE LICENSES WILL BE OR PREAPPROVALS WILL BE ISSUED. [55:07] **Sara Roman:** THEY HAD ORIGINALLY EXPECTED IT TO BE FALL OF 2024 AND HAVE BACKED OFF. THEY DON'T EXPECT TO HAVE ANYTHING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE TIMELINE THAT WE ARE TODAY COMFORTABLE TO AN EXTENT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE REGULATIONS IN PLACE PRIOR TO ANY OF THESE BUSINESSES OPERATING IN THE CITY. [55:27] **Chris Meyer:** OKAY. AND SO I KNOW IT'S NOT OUR PURVIEW BUT I DO THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO BE MITIGATING FOR THAT. SO I JUST ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO TAKE STRONG ACTION ON FILTRATION REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE AN ANSWER FROM DIRECTOR EMERICK REGARDING THE TOBACCO QUESTION THAT COMMISSIONER CONLEY -- OR SORRY. [55:54] **Meg McMahon (Director):** THANK YOU. I DID GET SOME INFORMATION. SO CURRENTLY THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE ANY SPACING FOR TOBACCO FROM SCHOOLS OR PARKS OR FOR EXCLUSIVE TOBACCO STORES I SHOULD SAY. AND FOR LIQUOR STORES THERE'S A 300-FOOT SPACEING FROM SKOOS BUT NO SPACING TO PARKS. AND THEN TO JUST PROVIDE A CLARIFICATION THAT THERE IS NO INDOOR TOBACCO USE PERMITTED IN THE CITY. [56:17] **Meg McMahon:** THERE WAS AT ONE POINT A KIND OF A SAMPLING I GUESS LOOPHOLE IS MAYBE WHAT SOME CALLED IT THAT ALLOWED FOR SAMPLING OF TOBACCO THAT'S BEEN REMOVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THERE'S NO PLACE IN MINNEAPOLIS WHERE IT IS LEGAL TO CONSUME TOBACCO INDOORS. SO IF YOU'RE AWARE OF ANY. [56:42] **Meg McMahon:** [LAUGHTER] **Chris Meyer:** I MEAN I GUESS I SHOULDN'T SAY. [LAUGHTER] COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. [56:57] **Commissioner Baxley:** SARAH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR READING INTO THIS. AND I THINK A REALLY THOUGHTFUL EXPLANATION. SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CULTIVATION SIDE OF THIS. KNOW OUR PROPOSAL IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN ST. PAUL'S. I REALLY APPRECIATE LOOKING AT THE PARALLELS BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO AND MIRRORING THOSE AS MUCH AS WE CAN, EVEN ON THE SPACING ISSUE. [57:19] **Commissioner Baxley:** SO IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON CULTIVATION FOR, SAY, PRODUCT THAT IS GO INTO BEER OR ALCOHOL, ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS ON HOP GROWING IN THE CITY OR GREENS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE PARALLELS A LITTLE BIT? [57:34] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. SO, ANY TYPE OF COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL USE WOULD CURRENTLY BE CONSIDERED URBAN FARM WHICH IS ALLOWED IN THOSE PRODUCTION DISTRICTS. SO IT WOULD BE CONTROLLED AT THAT LEVEL. WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ANY OPERATORS THAT I KNOW OF THAT ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, GROWING HOPS TO USE IN THEIR BREWING BUT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DO IN A PRODUCTION DISTRICT IF THEY WERE GOING TO BE CONSIDERED URBAN FARM. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF REGULATIONS FOR CANNABIS. SO YOU COULD CONSIDER DOING SOMETHING LIKE GROWING HOPS AS A MARKET GARDEN OR SOME SORT OF THE OTHER SMALLER SCALE USES THAT WE HAVE. BUT BECAUSE WE [58:20] **Sara Roman:** HAVE SPECIFICALLY INDICATED THAT CANNABIS CULTIVATION IS ONLY TO BE CONSIDERED URBAN FARM, IT WOULD BE RESTRICTED AND LIMITED TO THOSE PRODUCTION DISTRICTS. **Commissioner Baxley:** OKAY. AND JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHY WAS THAT DESIGNATE NEGOTIATION CHOSEN? [58:37] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. WE VISITED A CULTIVATION FACILITY, AND I THINK TO BE TRANSPARENT WE HAD CONCERNS THAT THERE WAS AN ABILITY TO WELL CONTROL THE OFF SITE IMPACTS IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS. SO THERE ARE PARTICULARLY WITH ODORS, SECURITY LESS SO BUT PRIMARILY OUR FOCUS WAS ON ODORS AND WHETHER OR NOT WE FELT LIKE WE COULD SUFFICIENTLY REGULATE ODORS TO AN EXTENT THAT IT WOULDN'T CREATE OFF SITE IMPACTS IN OUR COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS. [59:11] **Sara Roman:** THE TRADE-OFF ALSO BEING IF WE CREATE EXTREMELY STRINGENT ODOR MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE BUSINESSES THAT THEY BECOME MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO INSTALL. SO FOR EXAMPLE, SAN FRANCISCO IS A CITY THAT ALLOWS CULTIVATION IN THEIR MIXED USE DISTRICTS. THOSE TYPES OF HVAC SYSTEMS CAN BE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO INSTALL. SO FOCUSING THE WORK ON EQUITY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE THOUGHT ABOUT WAS ARE WE EXCLUDING SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS FROM THESE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS IF WE SAY SURE, YOU CAN CULTIVATE BUT ONLY IF YOU HAVE $2 MILLION TO INSTALL A SYSTEM. OR ARE WE SETTING UP THESE BUSINESSES TO FAIL IF THEY ARE RECEIVING COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING ISSUES. COUNTER TO THAT, ST. [59:55] **Sara Roman:** PAUL IS ALLOWING IT. SO I THINK WE ALSO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE CAN TAKE A WAIT AND SEE APPROACH, AND IF IT ISN'T AN ISSUE THERE AND WE'RE SEEING THESE BUSINESSES ARE SUCCESSFUL, NOT HAVING OFF SITE IMPACTS, WE CAN AMEND CODE LATER TO ALLOW THEM. BUT IT'S MUCH EASIER TO BE MORE PERMISSIVE IN THE FUTURE THAN IT IS TO CLAW BACK LATER ON IF WE SAY LET'S BE PERMISSIVE NOW AND DECIDE IT'S NOT WORKING AND THEN WE TELL THE BUSINESSES THEY CAN NO LONGER OPERATE IN THE WAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO. SO THAT WAS OUR REASONING. [1:00:29] **Commissioner Baxley:** THANK YOU. **Chris Meyer:** COMMERCIAL CONLEY, DID YOU HAVE MORE? GO AHEAD. **Commissioner Conley:** I DO, MR. CHAIR. AND I'LL BE BRIEF SO THE RESIDENTS CAN SPEAK. I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW PIGGY BACK OFF COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. I APPRECIATE THAT THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE IS AROUND YOUTH ACCESS. IT'S SURPRISING THAT THERE'S NO REQUIREMENTS FOR TOBACCO SHOPS. THAT'S SHOCKING TO ME, GIVEN WHAT TOBACCO CONSISTS OF, IT'S PRETTY BAD. [1:00:55] **Commissioner Conley:** HOWEVER THAT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE REGULATIONS, I MEAN THE LAWSUITS, ALL THE THINGS THAT TOBACCO HAD, BIG TOBACCO HAD TO CHANGE, AND STATES GOT MONEY. AND THE MARKETING THAT WENT INTO PRODUCTS GOING TO YOUTH, THINGS LIKE THAT, BEING MARKETED TOWARDS YOUTH, I THINK THAT WHAT'S IN THIS ORDINANCE PREVENTS THAT FROM AT LEAST FROM WHAT I READ IT PREVENTS LIKE TARGETED MARKETING TOWARDS YOUNG PEOPLE. AND I CAN SEE AS RULEMAKING PROGRESSES THAT THEY PROBABLY TAKE NOTE FROM THE TOBACCO LAWSUITS OF THE EARLY 2000S AND ET CETERA. SO I THINK THAT THE YOUTH ACCESS PIECE IS ONE THAT WE CERTAINLY SHOULD BE [1:01:40] **Commissioner Conley:** CONSIDERING AS PART OF THE ROUTE OF THE SPACING. AND I GUESS I'M JUST -- IT'S CAUSE FOR PAUSE TO THINK ABOUT THAT. THE ONLY THING I FOUND WHEN I WAS GOOGLING THE IS THERE'S A CITY ORDINANCE THAT SAYS TOBACCO SHOPS CAN BE NO MORE THAN 3,000 FEET FROM ANOTHER TOBACCO SHOP. WHERE THIS IS CANNABIS CAN'T BE MORE THAN WHAT WAS IT, 1,000? [1:02:06] **Sara Roman:** 500 FEET. **Commissioner Conley:** SO THERE'S RULES FOR LIKE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE MARKET, BUT THEN YOUTH ACCESS I THINK IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING IN THAT FOR ME THAT GOES INTO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE RETAILERS AND THE SECURITY OF THE SPACES AND WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT ADVERTISE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR BUILDINGS, BECAUSE IT USED TO BE MUCH, MUCH DIFFERENT 20 YEARS OR SO AGO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. [1:02:35] **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CONLEY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO STAFF BEFORE WE MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARING? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK YOU CAN COME ON UP. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOU LIVE IN. [1:02:53] **Chris Meyer:** SO, ANYONE WHO CAME HERE TO SPEAK? I KNOW SOME OF YOU DID. **Public Speaker (Tanner):** GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDE AND PLANNING COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS TANNER. WARD 8, REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF CANNA JOY AND LOCAL HEMP AND SEED BANK IN MINNEAPOLIS, OPERATING FOR ABOUT A YEAR. THE REASON I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE FOR EXISTING HEMP BUSINESSES LOCAL LOCUST BUFFER THAT'S BUILT INTO THE ORDINANCE. [1:03:23] **Public Speaker (Tanner):** WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. WE'RE ASKING FOR A TEMPORARY RULE. SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS BUSINESSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING, SOME THAT SET UP SPECIFICALLY TO BECOME ADULT POTENCY RETAILERS TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER INTO THAT INDUSTRY. A TEMPORARY VARIANCE WOULD HELP SMALL BUSINESSES SUCCEED IN MINNEAPOLIS ESPECIALLY AS LARGER MORE PREDATORY BUSINESSES MIGHT ATTEMPT TO MONOPOLIZE LARGE PORTIONS OF THE CITY. WE'RE EXCITED FOR SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS TO GET THAT FIRST DRAW ON WHERE THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MARKET. [1:03:54] **Public Speaker (Tanner):** WE'RE WORRIED BY HAVING SUCH LIMITED SPACES THAT WE'RE HAVING RETAILERS COME IN AND PERHAPS BLOCK OUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN OPERATING WITHIN OUR CITY LEGALLY FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS. THIS TEMPORARY VARIANCE COULD HELP RETAILERS TRANSITION INTO THE ADULT USE OPERATION AND STRIKES A BALANCE WHILE ALL OF YOUR OFFERING A CLEAR PATH FORWARD FOR CURRENT OPERATORS, WILL NOT PROVIDE LONG-TERM RESTRAINTS FOR DISPENSARIES IN MINNEAPOLIS. I BELIEVE THIS APPROACH STRIKES A MIDDLE GROUND WHILE SUPPORTING THAT TRANSITION. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SEE MINNEAPOLIS MOVE FORWARD WITH LEGALIZATION. THANK YOU. [1:04:31] **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU. OTHER SPEAKERS? WELCOME. INTRODUCE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. **Public Speaker (Co-owner, Flipside Music):** ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO TALK TOO FAST BECAUSE I TALK REALLY FAST. I'M A CO-OWNER OF FLIPSIDE MUSIC AND DISPENSARY ON 36TH AND BRYANT. [1:04:49] **Public Speaker (Flipside Music):** WITH SUPPORT FROM A LOCAL SOUTHWEST COUNCILMEMBER AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION WE'RE ASKING TO AMEND THE ADULT USE CANNABIS AMENDMENT BY LOWERING THE FIVE ACRE REQUIREMENT TO 3 ACRES TO HELP SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND OFFER MORE ACCESS TO CITIZENS WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE WE CAN COMPETE WITH CITIES LIKE ST. PAUL THAT HAVE NO ACREAGE REQUIREMENT FOR SOMETHING THAT UNLIKE LIQUOR DOES HAVE MEDICINAL VALUE AND SHOULDN'T BE LUMPED UNDER THE SAME. AS A SMALL MAJORITY WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS WE MADE A LARGE INVESTMENT TO START THIS BUSINESS. WE RENOVATED A VACANT RETAIL SPACE AND TURNED DOWN OUTSIDE INVESTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE STAYED TRUE TO OUR ROOTS ALL WITH THE INTENT OF MOVING TOWARDS BECOMING A FULL DISPENSARY AND DOING DUE DILIGENCE LOOKING AT OTHER STATE REQUIREMENTS, HOW FAR WE NEEDED [1:05:35] **Public Speaker (Flipside Music):** TO BE FROM A POLICE STATION, SCHOOL AND SUCH. WE POURED OUR HEARTS INTO SOMETHING WE'RE PROUD TO SHARE WITH AND CONTRIBUTES TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE'VE MAINTAINED OUR INTENT TO CREATE A SPACE THAT ELEVATES WHAT A DISPENSARY EXPERIENCE CAN BE THROUGH AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HELPS EDUCATE AND BREAK THE STIGMA OF WHAT CANNABIS USERS LOOK LIKE. WE ENCOURAGE TO USE OUR SPACE FOR A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY WHERE THEY CAN TAKE A MOMENT OUT OF THEIR CHAOS, PARTNERED WITH OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SPONSORED COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE THE BRYANT PARK CONCERT SERIES. WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THAT THE ZONING REQUIREMENT WOULD SHUT DOWN OUR SMALL BUSINESS THE COMMUNITY JUMPED INTO ACTION IN AS LITTLE AS A WEEK WE'VE COLLECTED MORE THAN 60 SIGNED LETTERS AND OVER 206 SIGNED PETITION SIGNATURES AND DROVE CALLS TO [1:06:23] **Public Speaker (Flipside Music):** COUNCILMEMBERS. WE FOUND THAT MORE CONSTITUENTS THAT KNOW ABOUT THIS RULE AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT TO SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE OURS IT MAKES OUR SUPPORT FOR WANTING TO CHANGE IT EVEN STRONGER. WE SERVICE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO LOOK TO CANNABIS FOR ITS MEDICINAL BENEFITS. MANY OUR CUSTOMERS COME FROM PLACES LIKE THE WALKER PLACE WHICH IS A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM US, AND THOSE CUSTOMERS. [1:06:46] **Chris Meyer:** YOU CAN WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS. **Public Speaker (Flipside Music):** SORRY. HAVE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES AND WALK TO OUR STORE. ON TO HAVE OF THIS, THEY -- SORRY. ON TOP OF THIS MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS ALSO USE WALKING OR BIKING AS THEIR PRIMARY MODE OF COMMUTING ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW BRYANT BIKE LANE AND TAKING AWAY A STORE LIKE OURS THAT ARE IN ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITIES MAKE IT SO CUSTOMERS WON'T HAVE THIS CONVENIENT ACCESS. WE BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD BE CHAMPIONING SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE OURS AND OTHERS THAT HAVE PUT EVERYTHING ON THE LINE. WE HAVE THE SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE INDUSTRY TO CHANGE THIS RULE FOR THE BETTER TO MAKE MORE ACCESSIBILITY TO COMMUNITY DRIVEN CANNABIS MARKET AND ONE THAT ISN'T DOMINATED BY NATIONAL COMPANIES WHO WON'T REINVENT IN [1:07:32] **Public Speaker (Flipside Music):** MINNEAPOLIS LIKE WE HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO. **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU. **Public Speaker (Josh):** THANK YOU. **Chris Meyer:** NEXT SPEAKER. **Public Speaker (Josh):** HELLO, COMMISSIONERS. I AM THE WORST HALF OF THIS DUO. MY NAME IS JOSH AND I'M A CO-OWNER OF FLIPSIDE IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS. AND I WANT TO EXPAND ON HER POINTS A LITTLE BIT. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN REAL LIFE DATA THAT THE FIVE ACRE ZONE WILL DO TWO THINGS. IT WILL FORCE OUT SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE OURS IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. [1:08:02] **Public Speaker (Josh):** WE WOULD HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE LOCATION WE HAVE INVESTED SO MUCH IN AND EVEN IF WE WANTED TO TRY AND FIND A NEW LOCATION THE EXTREME CONSTRICTION ON LOCATIONS WILL CREATE MONOPOLIES FOR LANDLORDS WHO WILL BE ABLE TO CHARGE WHATEVER THEY WANT TO CANNABIS. THERE ARE ALREADY SIGNS OF THIS. JD HAD A PIECE IN THE BUSINESS JOURNAL IN APRIL, THE LAKE WHO WAS TRYING TO SELL THE BUILDING, THE ONLY COMPANIES THAT REACHED OUT TO HIM WERE CANNABIS DISPENSARIES AND THEY WERE NOT LOCAL. IT WILL CREATE CANNABIS ZONES IN THE CITY. RESTRICTING LOCATIONS AND FORCING STORES LIKE OURS OUT OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL NODES MEANS STORES WON'T BE SPREAD OUT, INSTEAD IN PLACES LIKE UPTOWN OR DOWNTOWN EVEN WITH A 500-FOOT RULE YOU WILL HAVE AREAS WITH FIVE CANNABIS [1:08:49] **Public Speaker (Josh):** DISPENSARIES CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT OUR CITY WANTS OUR CANNABIS MARKET TO LOOK LIKE. AND I DON'T THINK YOU DO EITHER. WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON OPENING OUR STORE IN FEBRUARY 2023 WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH BOTH MINNEAPOLIS SMALL BUSINESS DEPARTMENT AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AMONGST OTHERS. AT IN POINT IN TIME WERE WE EXPLAINED OUR LONG-TERM GOALS, WERE WE TOLD YOU MIGHT WANT TO HOLD OFF UNTIL THE CITY RELEASES ITS ZONING. WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO OPEN, GET IN THE COMMUNITY, LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO WE WERE AND GAIN TRUST. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID AND WHAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO AND BY CHANGING THAT RULE FROM FIVE ACRES TO THREE ACRES IT WILL SUPPORT NOT ONLY US BUT EVERY SMALL BUSINESS THAT'S LOOKING TO GET INTO THIS MARKET. [1:09:29] **Public Speaker (Josh):** SO WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU. **Public Speaker (Josh):** WOULD LIKE TO PUT THE PETITIONS AND SIGNAGE INTO RECORD AS WELL. **Chris Meyer:** YOU CAN GIVE THEM TO THE CLERK. SHE CAN PASS THEMUT. [1:09:49] **Public Speaker (City of Lakes Representative):** PRESIDENT MEYER, COMMISSIONERS. **Chris Meyer:** WELCOME. **Public Speaker (City of Lakes):** MY NAME IS, I LIVE AT 26. THAT IS WARD 10. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE CITY OF LAKES WHICH IS ALSO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE CORNER OF 24TH STREET AND NICOLLET AVENUE SOUTH. MOST NOTE THAT AS EAT STREET. IN THE PACKET FROM OUR COMMUNITY. AND A FEW MAPS I HAVE PRODUCED AS WELL TO HELP EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON. I LIKE MAPS. I CAN'T HELP MYSELF. OUR SCHOOL IS A TODDLER THROUGH 8TH GRADE SCHOOL. WE'RE A LITTLE UNIQUE SINCE WE RESIDE IN A FORMER OFFICE BUILDING THAT WAS BUILT A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. [1:10:35] **Public Speaker (City of Lakes):** WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 25 YEARS, IN THAT CORNER. NOT LOCATED ON COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, THEY ARE IN THE CENTER OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT'S NOT TRUE ACROSS THE CITY. WE'VE HEARD ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS AS WELL. WE ARE ASKING FOR THE SEPARATION BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND DISPENSARIES TO BE INCREASED TO 700 FEET. [1:10:56] **Public Speaker (City of Lakes):** THE COMMUNITY OF WHOLE HEARD STAFF PRESENT 350 FEET. MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS ASKED FOR 500 FEET. WHICH IS THE CURRENT STAFF RECOMMENDATION. BOTH OF THESE DISTANCES ARE ARBITRARY. THEY DON'T MATCH THE PHYSICAL REALITIES OF THE STREET AND BLOCK PATTERN OF MINNEAPOLIS, SPECIFICALLY THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS THAT RUN NORTH AND SOUTH OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. A TYPICAL NORTH-SOUTH BLOCK IS 660 FEET CENTER LINE OF STREET TO CENTER LINE OF STREET. [1:11:25] **Public Speaker (City of Lakes):** WE'RE ASKING FOR 700 FEET TO CREATE SEPARATION OF ONE FULL CITY BLOCK ON THOSE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. I AT THED THIS OUT WITH BAKER SCHOOL ON HENNEPIN AND 26TH AND WITH OUR SCHOOL, IT DOES WORK OUT TO BE A FULL SEPARATION OF ONE COMMERCIAL BLOCK NORTH-SOUTH. AND AS REFERENCE OUR SCHOOLS AT 24TH AND NICOLLET, WITHIN MAYBE 200 FEET THERE IS A CONVENIENCE STORE, A SMOKE SHOP, A PIPE SHOP AND A MCDONALD'S WITHOUT SEATING, BUT WITH A DRIVE THROUGH. THAT DRIVE THROUGH UNFORTUNATELY WAS GRANDFATHERED IN AFTER THIS BOARD BANNED DRIVE THROUGHS SEVERAL YEARS AGO. [1:12:05] **Public Speaker (City of Lakes):** ARTICLES FOR THIS DISTHE ANSWER, NOT NECESSARY ABOUT YOUTH ACT SUCCESS, SECTIONS DIRECTLY ADJACENT. IT'S ABOUT THE INTENSITY AND THE ACTIVITIES, SOME OF WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS WELCOMED. TALKING ABOUT ACREAGE REQUIREMENTS, I'D RATHER SEE 700 FEET FROM SCHOOLS RATHER THAN THIS 500-FOOT REQUIREMENT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT ALREADY. [1:12:36] **Public Speaker (City of Lakes):** THANK YOU VERY MUCH. **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU. ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS? ANYONE ELSE? WELCOME. INTRODUCE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. **Public Speaker (Ben):** THANK YOU, CHAIR MEYER, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS BEN. [1:12:51] **Public Speaker (Ben):** I'M THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT THE MINNEAPOLIS DOWNTOWN COUNCIL AND DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. AND I'M HERE TO JUST SPEAK ON THE GENERAL TOPIC THAT'S BEFORE YOU, AND A VERY QUICK TAKE ON HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS DOWNTOWN. MOST OF THE FOCUS OF THE PEOPLE TESTIFYING IN THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN ON THE DYNAMIC OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. [1:13:19] **Public Speaker (Ben):** IT'S NOT LOST ON US THAT THE GUIDANCE DOES NOT HAVE LIMITS ON CANNABIS BUSINESSS IN DOWNTOWN. AND PERHAPS SURPRISINGLY, I'M NOT HERE TO RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN THINK OF OTHER EXAMPLES WHERE THE MARKET DOES SPEAK ON THIS, LIKE THE PREVIOUS PERSON IN THE PUBLIC HEARING SAID THERE COULD BE A CLUSTER OF FIVE OR SIX CANNABIS BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. [1:13:49] **Public Speaker (Ben):** BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES IN OTHER CITIES, I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING. I THINK THERE COULD BE A NATURAL ROLE FOR CANNABIS DISPENSARIES IN OUR EXISTING ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS BUT I THINK THAT MARKET CONDITIONS WILL COME TO BEAR ON THAT. I THINK THERE WILL PROBABLY BE MORE THAN OPEN, AND SOME THAT CLOSE. SO I ALSO HAVE HEARD WE'VE HAD MEMBERS OF ON YOU ARE STAFF GO TO SOME CONVENINGS ON THIS TOPIC WHERE OTHER CITIES WHO ARE SHARING THEIR GUIDANCE. [1:14:15] **Public Speaker (Ben):** AND IT'S HARD, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S VERY HARD FOR THESE TYPES OF BUSINESSES TO BE FINANCED WITHIN THE EXISTING DYMIC, THE KIND OF BROADER REGULATORY. SO AGAIN, MIGHT ANTICIPATE THEY'LL BE CREATING A BUNCH OF RULES TO LIMIT HOW CANNABIS DISPENSARIES OPEN DOWNTOWN, AND I'M NOT HERE TO DO THAT. I'M HERE TO SAY IF ANYONE IS FAMILIAR WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN OR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS KNOWS PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO CANNABIS. AND IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE CREATING A MORE ORGANIZED SYSTEM THAT BRINGS OUR VALUES TO BEAR AND CREATES REGULATIONS THAT HELP SHAPE THAT. I'LL JUST SAY TO A LITTLE [1:15:02] **Public Speaker (Ben):** PLUG WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY LEADERS AND WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE NEED AND THE CITY FOR SOMEONE TO LOOK SERIOUSLY AT OUR SOCIAL ECONOMY, OUR NIGHTTIME ECONOMY, AND LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AROUND CANNABIS AS A SOCIAL THING THAT HAPPENS IN CITIES, WHETHER IT'S PERMITTED OR NOT, AND I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT, WHERE THERE ARE MORE COVERINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN. I WANT THIS GUIDANCE CREATED AROUND UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF CANNABIS IN A HEALTHY CITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE SOCIALIZING WITH EACH OTHER AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND HOW THAT CAN BE PERMITTED. [1:15:34] **Public Speaker (Ben):** AND THERE'S SOME SPECIAL EXPERTISE THAT I THINK CREATING A NEW ROLE WITHIN THE CITY TO LOOK AT THAT AS SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING AND HOW CAN WE FACILITATE THAT IN A REASONABLE MANNER WOULD BE A WORTHY NEXT STEP AFTER THIS IS CREATED. THANK YOU. **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU. ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? [1:15:52] **Chris Meyer:** GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. ALL RIGHT. I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR MOTIONS? COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL. **Commissioner Campbell:** I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF. SORRY, SARAH, I'M GOING TO -- I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. [1:16:11] **Commissioner Campbell:** SO ONE QUESTION I HAVE FOR THE PLANNING TEAM HERE IS I DON'T IMAGINE THAT THE SITUATION THAT THESE FOLKS ON 36TH AND BRYANT ARE FACING IS UNIQUE TO THEM. I'M GUESSING THERE ARE A VARIETY OF OTHER LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE DISPENSARIES THAT ARE GOING TO FIND THEMSELVES IN THE SAME POSITION. ARE YOU DONE ANY ANALYSIS AS FAR AS WHAT THESE ZONING REGULATIONS WOULD DO FOR THESE BUSINESSES, LIKE HOW MANY BUSINESSES WOULD END UP HAVING TO CLOSE AS A RESULT OF WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING TONIGHT? [1:16:44] **Sara Roman:** COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL, WE HAVE NOT. WE HAVE A MAP THAT SHOWS AS OF SEPTEMBER 2024 WHERE THESE BUSINESSES ARE LOCATED. SO WE HAVE OVER 400 LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE BUSINESSES REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF MINNEAPOLIS. WE DON'T HAVE A WAY OF KNOWING HOW MANY OF THOSE BUSINESSES WILL REMAIN LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE, HOW MANY OF THOSE BUSINESSES WOULD LIKE TO CONVERT TO BE CANNABIS RETAILERS, HOW MANY OF THOSE BUSINESSES ARE MAYBE A COFFEE SHOP THAT PROBABLY WILL STOP SELLING THESE PRODUCTS WHEN THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH FULL LICENSURE. SO WE HAVE NOT -- WE DON'T HAVE CONCRETE DATA TO SHOW WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE FOR HOW MANY OF THOSE BUSINESSES WILL TRANSFER. UT WE ALSO HAVE NOT [1:17:30] **Sara Roman:** JUST LAID OVER THAT MAP AND SEEN HOW MANY BUSINESSES WOULD BE AFFECTED IF THEY ARE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE MEETING SPACING REQUIREMENTS, WHETHER THEY'RE MEETING DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN EACH OTHER, THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE. **Commissioner Campbell:** OKAY. OBVIOUSLY WE WON'T HAVE THAT HERE FOR A CONVERSATION TODAY, BUT I WOULD EXPECT OTHERS THAT IN THE FUTURE STEPS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. [1:17:54] **Commissioner Campbell:** AND I FEEL LIKE IT IS IMPORTANT DATA FOR US TO HAVE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION THAT'S GOING TO PUT PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE AQUATIC OF THAT WOULD BE, UNDERSTANDING WITH SOME OF THE CONTEXT THAT YOU PROVIDED THAT IT'S NOT A DIRECT COMPARISON OR AN EXACT SCIENCE BUT I STILL THINK THAT DATA WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO WORK TOWARDS THAT. IF IT'S TRUE AS SIMPLE AS AN OVERLAY. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. I THINK THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY WE HEARD EARLIER ABOUT THE DISTANCES FOR ALCOHOL THAN WHAT WE WERE TOLD EARLIER. [1:18:27] **Commissioner Campbell:** AND MAYBE I'M MISREPPING THIS SO I WANT TO CLARIFY FOR MY OWN BENEFIT. IS THE DISTANCE REQUIRED FROM SCHOOLS 300 FEET FOR ALCOHOL? IS THAT RATE? RIGHT? **Meg McMahon:** CHAIR MEYER, COMMISSIONER, THAT'S CORRECT, 350 FEET. [1:18:45] **Commissioner Campbell:** OKAY. SO I AM A BELIEVER THAT SIMPLE CODE IS BEST, THAT THE MORE WE CAN MIMIC CODE THAT OUR REGULATORS ARE ALREADY IMPLEMENTING MAKES SENSE BOTH FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE REGULATION AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLYING WITH IT. I THINK IT MAKES WORK SIMPLE FOR FOLKS. AND I TEND TO ERR ON THAT SIDE. IF IT IS INDEED THE CASE THAT OUR LIQUOR BOUNDARY IS 350, I WOULD SUPPORT LOWERING THAT DISTANCE FROM 500 TO 350 TO COMPLY WITH WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY ASKING OF LIQUOR STORES. I CAN'T ENVISION A REASON WHY WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT COMPARED TO LIQUOR STORE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING [1:19:31] **Commissioner Campbell:** THE DIFFERENCE OF LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF BOTH SUBSTANCES. SO THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST CONSIDERATION. I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOU TALKED ABOUT UNDUE HARM. I ASKED MY QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT 3-ACRE VERSUS 5-ACRE AND WHAT YOU SAID THAT, AND I WANT TO CLARIFY FOR MY OWN PERSONAL BENEFIT IS THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S A 5-ACRE REQUIREMENT FOR LIQUOR STORES S. THAT RIGHT? [1:20:01] **Meg McMahon:** OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. **Sara Roman:** CHAIR MEYER, JUST TO CLARIFY FROM YOUR FIRST QUESTION, COMMISSIONER, IS THAT THE REGULATIONS THAT ARE PROPOSED DO NOT PROPOSE ANY ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON LOWER LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE RETAILERS. SO THERE'S NOTHING IN THESE RESTRICTIONS THAT WOULD SHUT A CURRENT BUSINESS DOWN OR NOT ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE OPERATING IN THE WAY THEY'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING. THERE WOULD NOT BE SPACING BETWEEN LOWER-POTENCY HEMP RETAILERS NOR SPACING BETWEEN SCHOOLS OR ANY OTHER USE. SO I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT ANY BUSINESS THAT'S OPERATING TODAY LEGALLY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNDER A CURRENT REGULATIONS AS THEY ARE TODAY. [1:20:45] **Commissioner Campbell:** GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY. I THINK MY COMMENT WAS INTENDED TO IMPLY THAT I THINK MANY OF OUR LOWER-POTENCY EDIBLE RETAILERS IN THE CITY ARE OPERATING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME FULL CANNABIS DISPENSARIES, AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF GUESSING WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING, BUT I THINK IF YOU WERE TO EXTEND THAT AND MAKE AN ASSUMPTION THAT HALF OF THESE PEOPLE ARE SEEKING THAT SORT OF CLASSIFICATION INTO THE FUTURE, IT'S HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR US TO KNOW WHO'S IMPACTED BY THIS AND WHO POTENTIALLY ISN'T. [1:21:29] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL. ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO CLARIFY THOUGH IS SO THERE'S A SPACING REQUIREMENT FROM THE SCHOOL BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE SPACING REQUIREMENT BETWEEN THE AREAS BETWEEN LIQUOR STORES AND BETWEEN TOBACCO SHOPS AND THAT'S 3,000 FOR BOTH OF THEM, IS THAT CORRECT? [1:21:47] **Sara Roman:** I BELIEVE IT'S 2,000. **Chris Meyer:** EXCUSE ME. AND WHEREASOR THE PROPOSED CANNABIS ONE IT'S JUST 500. CAN YOU PULL UP THE MAPS THAT COMPARED THE TOBACCO AND LIQUOR VERSUS THE PROPOSED CANNABIS ONES? I WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT THE PROPOSED CANNABIS REGULATIONS ARE A LOT MORE PERMISSIVE OVERALL THAN THE EXISTING TOBACCO AND LIQUOR ONES. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER THOMPSON. [1:22:15] **Commissioner Thompson:** THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU SO MUCH AS TO SAY I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS AND SEEING THE PRESENTATION, I REALIZE THE LARGE CALCULUS THAT WAS GOING INTO HOW WE ACTIVATE THIS. I MEAN IT'S A VERY CHALLENGING QUESTION. SO I REALLY WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK IN THIS. I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS AS WRITTEN STRICTLY FROM THE ASPECT OF PARKS THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE -- I MEAN IT ALREADY WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR US, WHICH IS FINE, WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. I DID WANT TO MAKE ONE COMMENT THOUGH REGARDING SCHOOLS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR EMERICK ISN'T HERE, BUT I AM A TEACHER, I WILL SAY THAT ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND [1:23:01] **Commissioner Thompson:** CANNABIS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL WHEN IT COMES TO KIDS IN SCHOOL. ALCOHOL YOU CAN SMELL AS A TEACHER, AND TOBACCO AS WELL, BUT EDIBLES IS JUST COULD BE VERY PROBLEMATIC. AND SO I AGREE WITH THE DIFFERENT LIMITS. [1:23:20] **Commissioner Thompson:** I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. I WAS LISTENING A LOT TO THE DIFFERENT STANDARDS. I JUST LOVE TO THROW THOSE LITTLE JINGLES OF INFORMATION IN THE AIR AND LET IT LAND WHEREVER IT NEEDS TO. BUT AGAIN I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS. AND UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T SUPPORT IT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION WE'RE IN. [1:23:39] **Commissioner Thompson:** THANK YOU. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THANK YOU. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE JUST OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION IS IF THERE IS A LOCAL BUSINESS OR LOCAL OPERATOR THAT WANTS TO GET STARTED AND LET'S SAY LIKE THE AREA'S NOT ZONED FOR IT OR MAYBE THEY'RE A HANDFUL OF FEET AWAY, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO KIND OF APE OF APPEAL TO OPERATE IN A CERTAIN LOCATION THEY MIGHT NOT UNDER CODE. [1:24:15] **Sara Roman:** AS A PART OF THIS DRAFT AMENDMENT, THERE WOULD BE NO OPTION TO DEFER FROM THOSE REGULATIONS. SO WE HAVE PROCESSES IN THE CITY TO ASK FOR UNIQUE EXEMPTIONS. BUT THOSE WERE NOT INCLUDED AS OPTIONS UNDER THIS PROPOSAL. SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE OTHER TYPES OF USES THAT WE REQUIRE SPACING FROM IS A RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITY. AND THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REQUEST SPACING FROM THEIR REQUEST OF VARIANCE FOR SPACING REQUIREMENTS. SO IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE WAY THAT WE DO SPACING FOR OTHER USES, THE SAME FOR LIQUOR STORE, THEY CAN'T REQUEST AN EXEMPTION FROM THE SPACING REQUIREMENT. [1:25:02] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. SO THE REASON WHY WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROVISIONS FOR FLEXIBILITY IS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH OTHER PLACES WITHIN CODE? **Sara Roman:** COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, THAT IS CERTAINLY PART OF IT. SO, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TYPES OF EXEMPTIONS THAT CAN BE OFFERED FOR UNIQUE PROPERTY, IT WOULD BE EITHER A VARIANCE OR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. A VARIANCE REQUIRES FINDINGS TO BE MET. SO FOR THINGS LIKE SPACING, IT'S NOT REALLY GREAT OPTION, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T REALLY A WAY AS A BUSINESS OR A PROPERTY TO MEET THE REQUIRED FINDINGS FOR A VARIANCE. SO ONE OF THOSE IS THAT THEY'RE MEETING THE INTENT OF CODE, THE INTENT OF CODE IS SPACING, THAT'S AN [1:25:48] **Sara Roman:** ISSUE. THE SECOND IS THAT THERE'S SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT THE PROPERTY THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM COMPLYING WITH CODE, AGAIN FOR SPACING. IT'S NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE PROPERTY, SO SOMETHING LIKE A HILL OR SMALLER LOT MIGHT BE. FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, THAT DOES ALLOW EXEMPTIONS BUT STAFF I THINK WOULD PREFER TO SEE SOMETHING CHANGED LIKE THE SPACING REQUIREMENT OR AN AREA REQUIREMENT OVER SOMETHING LIKE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT ADDS ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND BURDEN TO APPLICANTS AND DOESN'T -- IT CREATES A LOT OF RISK FOR APPLICANTS. AND IT CREATES A LOT OF BUILT IN [1:26:33] **Sara Roman:** INEQUITY. SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONE BECAUSE MAY RECEIVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, ONE BUSINESS MIGHT NOT, AND THAT MAY DEPEND ON WHO THE OPERATOR IS, WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD THEY'RE LOCATED IN. WE DON'T SEE EQUAL GRANTING OF THESE TYPES OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF WE CAN AVOID WE TRY TO AVOID. IT ALSO COSTS ADDITIONAL TIME, WHICH COSTS MONEY FOR APPLICANTS. STAFF ADMINISTRATION TIME TO GO THROUGH THE FULL PROCESS OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. AND IN THE END WHAT ARE THOSE CONDITIONS BEING APPLIED TO THAT BUSINESS AND CONTROL FOR THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE CREATING OR ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT WITH THE [1:27:24] **Sara Roman:** ACREAGE REQUIREMENT. SO IS IT DIFFERENT RESULTS OR IS IT ADDITIONAL PROCESSES TO ADD ADDITIONAL TIME. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THANK YOU. THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. FIRST OF ALL, I DIDN'T THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS. I KNOW we're COMING RIGHT AT THE END OF ALL THE ENGAGEMENT AND WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE T BRIEFINGS THAT YOU'VE HAD WITH PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO GET IT THIS FAR ACROSS. IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THIS. AND ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THINKING ABOUT THIS. I'M GOING TO JUST ECHO A COMMENT THAT WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M FEELING [1:28:10] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** PAUSE ABOUT IS THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT CONVERTING FROM LOWER-POTENCY HEMP TO A DISPENSARY OR MAYBE THAT WAS THEIR HOPE ONCE LEGALIZATION STARTED, BECAUSE JUST ANECDOTALLY I THINK I SAW LOWER HEMP BUSINESSES START POPPING UP WHEN THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND LEGALIZATION WERE HAPPENING, RIGHT, BECAUSE OF THE PROSPECT OF POTENTIALLY A FUTURE BUSINESS. DIRECTOR MCMAHON, I FELT THAT WAS A VERY GOOD CLARIFICATION THAT THOSE BUSINESSES WOULDN'T BE UNDER ANY SPACING REQUIREMENT OR ANY OF THESE. AND I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE BUSINESS THAT IS WANT TO REMAIN AS LOWER-POTENCY HEMP. I JUST WONDER IF US AS A CITY, HAVE WE CONSIDERED AND HAD [1:28:57] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CURRENT OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF LOWER-POTENCY HEMP ON IF THEY HAVE ASPIRATIONS TO CONVERT AND IF THAT WAS A PART OF THEIR LONG-TERM PLANNING? **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. SO WE DID HAVE LISTENING SESSIONS WITH INDUSTRY FOLKS. AND SOME INDICATED THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN CONVERTING AND SOME INDICATED THAT THEY WERE NOT. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN ASSUME THAT WE'LL HAVE ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES CONVERT. I THINK SOME WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN IN THE HEMP SPACE. WHAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA HAS DONE WITH HEMP AND ALLOWING IT PRIOR TO ALLOWING LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS AND THE TYPES OF PRODUCTS THAT WE ALLOW IS VERY UNIQUE. SO, THE INDUSTRY THAT HAS BEEN BUILT UP SURROUNDING HEMP, I THINK STILL HAS A LOT OF INTEREST FROM WHAT [1:29:42] **Sara Roman:** WE'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE MARKET CURRENTLY. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** AND JUST KIND OF GOING OFF THAT, WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE DON'T ACTUALLY AT THIS POINT AS A CITY TOGETHER WE DON'T HAVE AN INVENTORY ON THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT HAVE WANTED TO GO INTO A DISPENSARY MODEL FOR CANNABIS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE FOR THEM. [1:30:10] **Sara Roman:** CORRECT. WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY SORT OF SURVEY TO DETERMINE WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE BUSINESSES ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF BUSINESS OR WHAT TYPE OF LICENSE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PURSUING. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** YEAH. I'LL JUST NOTE AS A COMMENT, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FEELS A LITTLE BIT TOUGH ABOUT THIS DECISION TODAY IS I DON'T HAVE A FEEL FOR LIKE THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN OPERATING WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DRASTICALLY CHANGE THEIR PLANS AFTER WE MAKE THIS MOVE. [1:30:42] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** I DON'T KNOW IF KNOWING THAT WOULD CHANGE ANYTHING TO ME BUT IT IS KIND OF IMPORTANT TO ME TO UNDERSTAND LIKE THE IMPACT OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY BASED OFF OF THIS AND AGAIN, APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT STAFF HAS DONE AND ALL THE ENGAGEMENT, AND I FEEL LIKE THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION IS ONE THAT FEELS HARD TO RECONCILE WITH. THE LAST THING I WANTED TO TOUCH ON IS THE 500 SPACE, 500 FEET SPACE BUFFER AND THEN SIMILAR TO WHAT COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL SAID ABOUT IT DIFFERING FROM OUR SPACING REQUIREMENTS WITH LIQUOR. IT'S 350, CORRECT, NOT 300? [1:31:30] **Meg McMahon:** COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, I APOLOGIZE, I'VE BEEN LIVE MESSAGING WITH OUR LICENSING MANAGER. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** OKAY, NO WORRIES. [LAUGHTER] **Meg McMahon:** SHE SENT ME THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE IN THE CODE, IT IS 300 FEET DEFINITIVELY. APOLOGIES FOR THAT. [1:31:46] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** YOU'RE ALL GOOD, DIRECTOR, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SO ON IT IN REALTIME. THAT'S AMAZING WORK. SO 300. THAT'S 200 FEET WORTH OF DIFFERENCE. AND I BELIEVE IN MY RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE UP HERE AS OTHER COMMISSIONERS ARE DOING, THAT'S WHY ST. PAUL DECIDED TO GO WITH 300 FEET IS BECAUSE IT WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE SPACING THAT THEY HAD FOR LIQUOR. AND I'LL JUST SAY APART FROM MAYBE PUTTING A DAMPER ON COMPETITIVENESS, IF WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT EQUITY WHEN IT COMES TO CANNABIS, WHAT ARE WE SAYING AS A MESSAGE WHEN WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO PUT MORE OF A SPACE BUFFER WHEN IT COMES [1:32:31] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** TO CANNABIS BY 200 FEET THAN LIQUOR AND TOBACCO? WHAT ARE OUR ROOT REASONS FOR THAT? IF IT'S NOT YOUTH ACCESS, WHICH I THINK WE ALL CARE ABOUT AND THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO ADDRESS IT, IS IT OUR OWN PERSONAL BIASES AND YEARS AND YEARS OF CRIMINALIZATION AND RACIALIZATION OF CANNABIS, NOW THAT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A BUSINESS THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS? THAT FEELS REALLY TOUGH TO ME. AND I THINK AT THE BARE MINIMUM IT SHOULD BE THE SAME STANDARD AS A LIQUOR STORE. OTHERWISE I THINK THE CLEAR UNDERPINNING MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE IS THAT THERE'S A PERSPECTIVE HERE AROUND CANNABIS [1:33:17] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** USERS AND CANNABIS AT LARGE THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF DEBUNKED OVER GENERATIONS, AND ONE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS AS A STATE AND A CITY. SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTIVE OF A ZONING TEXT CHANGE HERE THAT HAS 500 FEET. [1:33:41] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF SOMETHING AROUND 300. AND I WOULD ALSO BE SUPPORTIVE OF CONSIDERING IF THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS WE NEED TO HAVE FURTHER BEFORE WE TAKE SOMETHING UP. AND I ALSO WOULD WELCOME OUR STAFF SHARING ANY CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT US MAKING THE CHANGE OR THINK THINKING ABOUT IT. [1:34:03] **Sara Roman:** COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, I THINK ALL OF THESE REGULATIONS ARE A BALANCE. AND SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SPACING IS TO ENSURE THAT THESE BUSINESSES AREN'T DEALING WITH CLUSTERING AND OVERCOMPETITION IF THE GOAL IS TO PROTECT A BUSINESS. WE ARE CERTAINLY ALLOWING THEM IN MANY MORE LOCATIONS THAN WE'RE ALLOWING NEW ■TOBACCO AND LIQUOR STORES, AND SO WE HOPED THAT THAT ADDITION OF THAT CM2 DISTRICT WITH THAT FIVE ACREAGE REQUIREMENT WOULD GIVE THE MARKET ENOUGH ROOM TO ALLOW FOR MORE SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS AND MORE BUSINESSES TIME TO ESTABLISH WITHOUT BEING [1:34:48] **Sara Roman:** SATURATED TOO QUICKLY. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CONSIDER AND WE FELT LIKE WE FOUND A BALANCE BUT CERTAINLY WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CORRECT ANSWER IS GOING TO BE AND HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE FOR THE MARKET TO SATURATE IF THE MARKET WILL SATURATE, WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE CITY. WE JUST DON'T HAVE A WAY TO KNOW. BUT WE'RE CONSIDERING IT. [1:35:10] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** I APPRECIATE IT. AND I'LL JUST NOTE I THINK MY CONTENTION IS NOT ABOUT THE 500 FEET BETWEEN BINESSES. I KNOW THAT'S WAY LESS RESTRICTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO LIQUOR STORES AS WAS MENTIONED. I THINK IT'S THE CONTENTION AROUND THE BUFFER ZONES FOR SCHOOLS, BECAUSE LIKE THE INNATE REASON WHY WE'RE CONSIDERING BUFFER ZONES FOR SCHOOLS IS YOUTH ACCESS AND SECURITY. AND SO IT'S JUST GOING BACK TO LIKE ONE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF ARBITRARY DECISION, TWO, IT'S 200 FEET SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM A LIQUOR STORE, AND WHAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE SENDING WHEN IT COMES TO APPLYING THAT SPACING AND MAKING POLICY HERE. [1:35:56] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** SO, YEAH, REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND REALLY HAVE APPRECIATED THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING UP HERE. **Chris Meyer:** THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. COMMISSIONER CONLEY. **Commissioner Conley:** YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO, THAT -- I'M THINKING ABOUT GRANDFATHER CLAUSES. THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES IN THE CITY THAT EXIST BECAUSE THEY WERE GRANDFATHERED INTO A NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS. SO WAS THAT EVER A DISCUSSION? LIKE FOR THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE NOW ON 3-ACRE PLOTS OR LOWER, WHO WANT TO EXPAND INTO ADULT USE, WAS THE CONSIDERATION OF GRANDFATHERING THEM IN OR BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY AN ESTABLISHED BUSINESS, TO PREVENT CLOSURE, COULD THERE NOT BE A GRANDFAER CLAUSE THAT [1:36:42] **Commissioner Conley:** IF YOU ARE OPERATING AS THIS AND WANT TO EXPAND INTO THIS THEN YOU CAN IF YOU FILL OUT THESE THREE FORMS? LIKE, I DON'T KNOW. BUT DID THAT COME UP? IF IT DID, HOW DID IT GO? **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU. GOOD QUESTION, COMMISSIONER CONLEY. SO, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY, AS CPED STAFF, DISCUSSED THIS AS REQUIRING THE NEW REGULATIONS FOR LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE TO MATCH WHAT EXISTS TODAY. SO IN OUR MINDS THAT IS THE GRANDFATHERING. IT'S THAT WE ARE NOT INCLUDING BACK ANY REGULATIONS. WE'RE NOT TELLING LOWER-POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE BUSINESSES THAT THEY CAN'T CONTINUE TO OPERATE. BUT WE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH TELLING BUSINESSES WHEN THEY'VE COME TO THE CITY TO ASK FROM ZONING THAT IF THEY WANTED TO CONVERT TO A DIFFERENT USE OR A [1:37:28] **Sara Roman:** DIFFERENT LICENSE IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A NEW USE AND WOULD NEED TO COMPLY WITH ZONING REGULATIONS AT THE TIME. THE SAME WAY THAT GRANDFATHERING WOULD WORK FOR ANY TYPE OF BUSINESS, IF THEY STAY THE SAME BUSINESS, THEY CAN CONTINUE. IF THEY CONVERT TO ANOTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS THEY NEED TO COMPLY WITH ZONING REGULATIONS AT THE TIME. [1:37:48] **Commissioner Conley:** THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CONLEY. **Chris Meyer:** I'LL GO TO MYSELF THEN COMMISSIONER OLSON THEN BACK TO CAMPBELL. SO, MY THOUGHTS ON THIS ARE THERE'S A BALANCE TO BE STRUCK, AND WE'RE COMPARING TO ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO. I FEEL LIKE IN GENERAL WE HAVE THEY'RE GOING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN RECENT DECADES ON CANNABIS AND TOBACCO. WE'VE BECOME A LOT MORE RESTRICTIVE ONT ON TOBACCO AND MORE PERMISSIVE ON CANNABIS THAN WE ARE ON TOBACCO HERE. AND I THINK I'M PRETTY CAUTIOUS AROUND THE SCHOOLS, SO I'M GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS. I'M [1:38:35] **Chris Meyer:** RECEPTIVE TO THE 700-FOOT REQUIREMENT. I THINK ONE THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID IS THE ODOR THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THEM. AND OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE LEGALIZED, LIKE EVEN WITH THE FILTRATION SYSTEMS, LIKE STILL SOMETHING THAT CAN PERMEATE PRETTY FAR. AND I FEEL LIKE THE 700 SQUARE FOOT MAKES SENSE. SO IT'S TWO SHORT BLOCKS OR ONE LONG NORTH-SOUTH BLOCK THAT THAT WOULD CORRESPOND TO. [1:39:05] **Chris Meyer:** BUT IF THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO SUPPORTS THAT, THEN I WOULDN'T PROPOSE TO MAKE THAT MOTION. BUT I WOULD STILL SUPPORT THE 500 SQUARE FEET THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS ASKED FOR. [1:39:21] **Chris Meyer:** AS TO THE 5-ACRE TO 3-ACRE CHANGE, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF HAD ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT AND IF THERE'S ANY REASONS THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO THAT. SARAH, DO YOU HAVE ANY? [1:39:40] **Sara Roman:** COMMISSIONER MEYER, WE DON'T HAVE A NUMBER IN MIND. WE WOULD PREFER TO SEE SOME SORT OF ACREAGE REQUIREMENT MAINTAIN. SO THAT WOULD PROTECT LIKE A COMMERCIAL NODE THAT'S MAYBE ONE OR TWO BUSINESSES, WHERE WE DO STRONGLY FEEL LIKE HAVING A DISPENSARY OR SOMETHING LIKE A LIQUOR STORE WOULD HAVE AN OUTSIZED IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE A NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING BUSINESS. BUT WHETHER IT'S MOVED FROM 35 ACRES TO 3 ACRES, STAFF WOULD PREFER TO SEE THAT OVER SOMETHING LIKE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT PROCESS. [1:40:16] **Chris Meyer:** I AGREE, I WOULD NOT WANT TO ADD ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN. YOU'VE ALREADY GOT ENOUGH. SO I WOULD OPPOSE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. BUT I WOULD SUPPORT AN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE IT FROM 5 ACRES TO 3 ACRES. BUT OVERALL I FEEL LIKE THIS PROPOSAL IS A LOT MORE PERMISSIVE THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE ON TOBACCO. IF WE WANT TO BE CONSISTENT WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE THE MUCH GREATER DISTANCE REQUIREMENT, THE 2,000-FOOT REQUIREMENT, WHICH WOULD TAKE A LOT OF SPACE, MAKE IT UNAVAILABLE SO I WOULDN'T WANT THAT. LAST THING THAT I WOULD SUPPORT THAT COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY BROUGHT UP IS INDUSTRIAL ZONES. I WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE AN EXEMPTION FOR [1:41:01] **Chris Meyer:** THAT SPECIFICALLY IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER OLSON. **Commissioner Olson:** THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO STAFF. AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, BUT WE UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WORK THIS WAS. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, AND I ALSO AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER MEYER AND CAMPBELL. AND I THINK A LOT OF US UNDERSTAND HOW COMPLICATED THIS IS. AND THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPACING. AND THERE'S NO PERFECT ANSWER. BUT WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. I WAS IN FAVOR OF THE 350 ORIGINALLY. I ALSO RESPECT THE SCHOOL BOARD'S INTEREST IN SUGGESTING A [1:41:47] **Commissioner Olson:** DISTANCE. I DO STILL THINK THE DISTANCES ARE SORT OF ARBITRARY. BUT LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'D RATHER START SOMEWHERE AND BECOME MORE PERMISSIVE RATHER THAN INCLUDING BACK AND HAVING MORE PEOPLE IN A SITUATION WHERE MAYBE THEIR BUSINESS IS NOW NOT ALLOWED IN A CERTAIN LOCATION. [1:42:08] **Commissioner Olson:** I THINK MORE THAN 500 FEET IS UNNECESSARILY RESTRICTIVE. AND I THINK ANY SORT OF EXTERNALITIES THAT WE ARE IMAGINING THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE DISPENSARIES ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE REGULATED NOT BY THE ZONING CODE. AND SO I GUESS I'LL TEST THE WATERS, AND I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT STAFF RECOMMENDATION. [1:42:32] **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. THERE IS A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. SO THE MOTION FOR THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS ON THE TABLE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR AMENDMENTS TO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION? OH, YEAH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION. SORRY. [1:42:47] **Commissioner Olson:** I JUST WANT TO SAY, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE ARE NOT THE FINAL CALL ON THIS. SINCE IT'S A ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT, IT STILL GOES TO THE CITY COUNCIL WHO MAKE A FINAL DECISION. OKAY. **Chris Meyer:** YEP. WE GO TO THE BIZ COMMITTEE I BELIEVE. [1:43:06] **Chris Meyer:** YEP. COMMISSIONER JONES? **Commissioner Jones:** THANK YOU. I ALS SUPPORT THE STAFF FINDINGS, AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THAT BUT IF MOVING FORWARD THERE WAS A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ACREAGE, I THINK I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT. BUT AS IT IS I WOULD SUPPORT THE TEXT AMENDMENTS AS PROPOSED BY STAFF. [1:43:30] **Chris Meyer:** SO, TO THAT, MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO AMEND 3C TO STRIKE 5 AND SUBSTITUTE 3-ACRES. SO THAT'S THE ITEM IN QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW -- SO IT'S THE 545.210 CODE THAT I WOULD BE AMENDING. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION, COMMISSIONER JONES? [1:43:59] **Commissioner Jones:** [OFF MIC] **Chris Meyer:** SECOND? **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Commissioner:** WHAT IS IT? **Chris Meyer:** THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE IT FROM -- SO I'LL READ WHAT THE EXISTING CLAUSE SAYS. THIS IS 3C, THE USE SHALL BE LOCATED WITHIN A CONTIGUOUS COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL AREA OF AT LEAST FIVE ACRES. THE MINIMUM ACREAGE REQUIRE SHALL BE COMPRISED OF CONTIGUOUS ZONING DISTRICTS WHERE DISPENSARY IS A PERMITTED PRINCIPLE USE. THE AMENDMENT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO CHANGE IT TO 3 ACRES, WHICH IS WHAT SPOT PEOPLE SPOKE TO REQUESTING TODAY. [1:44:32] **Commissioner Olson:** CAN I ACCEPT IT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? **Chris Meyer:** YEAH. **Commissioner Olson:** YEAH. GREAT. **Chris Meyer:** THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE YOURS DOWN. ALL RIGHT. WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT? WAS THERE ANYONE WHO HAD THOUGHTS ON THAT ONE? OKAY. IF NOT, GO AHEAD. [1:44:53] **Commissioner Wagner:** IT IS ABOUT THAT ONE. WE DON'T HAVE AN AVAILABLE MAP OR SOMETHING THAT SHOWS US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIVE ACRES AND THREE ACRES PRESENTLY. **Sara Roman:** WE DON'T. WE ONLY HAVE NO CONTIGUOUS ACRES AND THE FIVE CONTIGUOUS ACRES, AND I CAN PULL THAT UP. [1:45:12] **Commissioner Wagner:** YEAH, LET'S LOOK AT THAT. **Sara Roman:** AND I DO APOLOGIZE THAT SOME OF THESE NODES ARE VERY SMALL, SO THEY ARE HARD TO SEE AT THIS SCALE. [1:45:29] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** I GUESS A QUESTION FOR YOU. THANK YOU. GOING TO 3 ACRES IF WE'RE MAKING THAT MOTION TODAY AND APPROVING IT, SOUNDS LIKE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, IS THERE STAFF CONCERN AROUND THAT? IS THAT GOING TO THROW A MAJOR WRENCH IN YOUR PLANS? [1:45:51] **Sara Roman:** COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, WE DON'T HAVE A CONCERN WITH 3 ACRES AT THIS POINT IN TIME. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. THIS IS FOR THE PRESIDENT PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE. IF WE'RE WANTING TO DISCUSS ANOTHER AMENDMENT AFTER THIS AMENDMENT, WE CAN ONLY GO A COUPLE AMENDMENTS DEEP IS MY UNDERSTANDING OR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? [1:46:12] **Chris Meyer:** SO, COMMERCIAL OLSON HAS ACCEPTED AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT SO WE WON'T HAVE A SEPARATE VOTE ON THIS ONE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT TO THE UNDERLYING MOTION YOU CAN DO THAT NOW. [1:46:27] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** I AM GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO BRING THE SPACING REQUIREMENT DOWN TO 350 FOR SCHOOLS, NOT FROM SEPARATE BUSINESSES AND I WILL ALSO ASK IF THAT THROWS A WRENCH IN STAFF'S PLANS OR IF THERE ARE ANY COMMENTS FROM STAFF ON THAT MOTION. [1:46:50] **Meg McMahon:** CHAIR MEYER, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY, JUST TO CLARIFY OR JUST TO PROVIDE A DISTINCTION TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS THE INTENTION WITH THE CURRENT SPACING FROM SCHOOLS FOR LIQUOR STORES IS 300 FEET. SO NOT SURE IF YOU WANTED THAT TO BE CONSISTENT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE. BUT JUST A CLARIFYING POINT. AND IN TERMS OF STAFF CONCERN I CAN LET SARAH RESPOND TO THAT. [1:47:15] **Sara Roman:** THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY. WE WERE SUPPORTIVE OF 500 FEET. WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF DOING SOME SPACING FROM SCHOOLS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS CONCERN FROM THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THAT. BUT WE DON'T HAVE DATA TO SHOW THAT ANY AMOUNT OF SPACING IS GOING TO BE TOO PROHIBITIVE AT 350 FEET OR 500 FEET THAT WE CAN'T MEET OUR STATE REQUIREMENTS. AND SO STAFF DOESN'T HAVE MAJOR CONCERNS WITH 300 VERSUS 500. [1:47:51] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** WAS THERE A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN 300 AND 350 WHEN YOU MADE THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE? **Sara Roman:** SO THE 350 FEET IS JUST AN AVERAGE EAST-WEST CITY BLOCK, AND THAT'S WHY WE CHOSE THAT. [1:48:10] **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. SO THE MOTION FROM COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY WOULD MODIFY 3A, WHICH IS THE USE SHALL BE LOCATED AT LEAST 500 FEET FROM A SCHOOL GRADES K-12 SO IT WOULD CHANGE IT FROM 500 TO 300 OR. [1:48:26] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** YES, 300. **Chris Meyer:** OKAY. AND IT WOULD NOT MODIFY 3B WHICH IS THE 500 BETWEEN DISPENSARIES. IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION BEFORE WE MOVE ON? I THINK SHE HAS TO ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT FIRST, RIGHT? WELL, IF IT'S FRIENDLY. [1:48:45] **Commissioner Olson:** I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY FOR us TO DO THIS. I HAVE A HARD OUT AT 6:30. BUT WOULD IT BE BETTER PROCEDURE WISE TO VOTE ON THAT? BECAUSE I THINK THAT MIGHT BE MORE CONTROVERSIAL AND THEN WE CAN. **Chris Meyer:** WE SHOULD HAVE A SEPARATE VOTE ON THAT. [1:49:02] **Commissioner Olson:** LET'S VOTE ON THAT. OKAY. **Chris Meyer:** BUT FIRST IS THERE A SECOND TO IT? **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A SECOND. IS THERE MORE DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, THE AMENDMENT TO CHANGE IT FROM 500 TO 300 FEET. **Commissioner Thompson:** YES. I WILL JUST SAY OBVIOUSLY MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, YOU ARE UNDERMINING AN ENTIRE BODY. NOW I DON'T EVEN AGREE WITH THIS, I WAS GOING TO SPEAK UP ABOUT THE 700 I WOULD BE OPEN TO POTENTIALLY SUPPORTING THIS IF WE GOT IT TO 700 FEET. BUT I WANT US TO RECOGNIZE HOW THE ENTIRETY OF MPS ORGANIZATION AGREED UPON 500 FEET THROUGH THEIR BOARD. [1:49:43] **Commissioner Thompson:** AND TAKING LITERALLY LIKE 30 SECONDS TO CONSIDER REDUCING THAT WHEN THEIR REPRESENTATIVE TO THIS BOARD IS TO THIS COMMISSION IS MISSING IS INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING FOR ME TO EVEN WRAP MY HEAD AROUND. SO I WILL OBVIOUSLY NOT BE VOTING FOR THIS. BUT I JUST THINK IT'S -- I APPRECIATE THE RECOMMENDATION. [1:50:06] **Commissioner Thompson:** IT JUST IT DOESN'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME. I'M OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING TO BE VOTING FOR IT ANYWAY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE TO SPEAK TOWARD THAT. THANK YOU. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** I'LL JUST NOTE FOR THIS AMENDMENT, I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND SPACING AT THE BIZ COMMITTEE, AND, AGAIN, LIKE IT DOESN'T END HERE. THERE IS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND THAT'S ONE THING WE FOUND OUT IN COMMITTEE TODAY, IS WE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LOGIC IS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND WE MAY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROOT, BUT IN TERMS OF SOMETHING [1:50:55] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** DON'T HAVE A SOLID REASON THATWE WE GOT FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND SO CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION AND POTENTIALLY SHOWING THE NEXT BODY THAT IT GOES TO THAT THERE WAS CONTENTION AND DISCUSSION, THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M BRINGING THIS MOTION FORWARD IS IF 300 IS NOT ENOUGH, THEN IT WOULD BRING THAT CONVERSATION UP, OBVIOUSLY I SIT ON THE BIZ COMMITTEE, SO I MAY BRING IT UP REGARDLESS. BUT THAT'S THE REAL INTENTION AROUND THIS AMENDMENT, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISCUSSION, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED. [1:51:28] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** AND THEN FINALLY I'LL JUST REITERATE TO A POINT THAT I MADE PRIOR TO MAKING THE MOTION IS WHAT ARE WE SAYING WHEN WE HAVE ONE RESTRICTION AT 500 FROM SCHOOLS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT LIQUOR STORES, AND THEN OR 300. [1:51:45] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CANNABIS IT'S 500. IT JUST FEELS LIKE WE'RE INHERENTLY SAYING THAT THIS IS -- THIS IS SOMEHOW MORE BAD OR IMMORAL. AND THAT JUST DOESN'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME. [1:52:02] **Commissioner Wagner:** I'LL GO EXTREMELY QUICKLY. I KNOW WE'VE SPOKEN FOR A WHILE HERE. I APPRECIATE THE WORK STAFF'S PUT IN ON EVERYONE'S PERSPECTIVE. AND I THINK TO COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL'S POINT, I REALLY EMPATHIZE WITH THE BUSINESSES SUCH AS FLIPSIDE AT 36TH AND BRYANT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY OPENED A BUSINESS WITH THE IDEA OF GOING TO BECOMING IF YOU REALLY SERVICE DISPENSARY OR WHATEVER THE WORD IS. AND WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THOSE BUSINESSES. [1:52:30] **Commissioner Wagner:** THIS IS A PUBLIC FORUM. WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THOSE BUSINESSES. I KNOW THERE'S 400 HEMP PERMITTED BUSINESSES, OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL 400 WANT TO BECOME DISPENSARIES. I THINK WE NEED A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT THAT IS. AND RELATED TO THAT I THINK WE NEED MORE INFO ON THE MAPS, THREE ACRES VERSUS FIVE ACRES. [1:52:48] **Commissioner Wagner:** I HAVE A HUNCH THIS MIGHT BE AS EASY AS HITTING A BUTTON IN GIS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALL THE MAPS AT THIS SO THEY CAN BE CONSIDERED BY ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BIZ COMMITTEE. AND ANNOY WE'RE OUT OF TIME. THOSE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS. **Chris Meyer:** I WILL CLARIFY. SO WE ARE IN THE UNDERLYING MOTION WE'VE ALREADY CHANGED IT SO WE'RE CHANGING IT FROM FIVE ACRES TO THREE AS THAT ACCOMMODATES. [1:53:09] **Commissioner Wagner:** I APPRECIATE THAT MOTION. I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT MOTION. **Chris Meyer:** THERE WILL BE A MOTION ON IT. **Commissioner Wagner:** I APPRECIATE THAT THOUGHT. I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT IN MY VOTE. AND I THINK AS THIS HEADS TO BIZ IF THIS IS AS SIMPLE AS HITTING A BUTTON IN GIS I THINK WE NEED TO SEE ALL THE MAPS OF VARIOUS SIZES OF THAT COMMERCIAL PARCEL SIZE, AND I THINK THAT IT IS A GOOD RULE, AND WE JUST NEED TO BE REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT THAT NUMBER IS. [1:53:34] **Chris Meyer:** SO THE MION WE'RE VOTING ON IS THE COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY'S AMENDMENT TO CHANGE IT FROM 500 TO 300 FEET AROUND SCHOOLS. **Commissioner Campbell:** I'LL JUST SAY THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN 350 TO 500 TO ME SEEMS IRRELEVANT. AND IN THIS CASE WITHOUT A LACK O COMPELLING DATA TO SUPPORT IT, I THINK MY OPINION IS THAT THE TIE GOES TO THE RUNNER, AND IN THIS CASE IT'S THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND SO I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THAT AMENDMENT. [1:54:08] **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** OKAY. IT'S 300, NOT 350. **Commissioner Campbell:** WHATEVER. **Chris Meyer:** JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. OH. COMMISSIONER CONLEY. **Commissioner Conley:** I'M SORRY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT. MR. CHAIR, I THINK THIS AMENDMENT IS TO I THINK ALIGN WITH LIQUOR STORES. [1:54:29] **Commissioner Conley:** BUT I WANT TO BE -- I JUST WANT TO -- AND I WOULD SUPPORT IT. AND THERE'S NO DISTANCE REQUIREMENT FOR TOBACCO SHOPS. I REALLY WANT TO STRESS THAT. AND NICOTINE IS EXTRAORDINARILY ADDICTIVE. AND OFTEN FINDS ITS WAY INTO THE HANDS OF MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. SO FOR THERE TO BE ABSOLUTELY NO SPACING REQUIREMENT, NOT EVEN ONE SUGGESTED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR SOMETHING LIKE TOBACCO IS STILL MIND BOGGLING TO ME. IF THIS ALIGNS IT WITH SOMETHING AND IT'S THE I THINK YOU'RE USING THE 300 FEET ALCOHOL REQUIREMENT, THEN I SUPPORT THAT ALIGNMENT. BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE THE JOB A LITTLE BIT EASIER. BUT FUNDAMENTALLY, I'M THINKING [1:55:14] **Commissioner Conley:** ABOUT TOBACCO. SO, I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT OVERARCHING QUESTION OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION THAT I THINK YOU WERE GETTING AT TOO. AND THERE'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THAT AT BIZ. SO I WOULD SUPPORT YOUR AMENDMENT. I THINK ALIGNING IT WITH SOMETHING IS HELPFUL. SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU. [1:55:33] **Chris Meyer:** ALL RIGHT. I WILL BE VOTING NO ON THE AMENDMENT. I THINK LIKE I WOULD AGREE THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A DISTANCE REQUIREMENT AROUND SCHOOLS FOR TOBACCO. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONSIDER BUT IF WE WERE TO FULLY EQUALIZE THEM THEN AGAIN THAT WOULD BE MAKING THINGS MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT STAFF IS PROPOSING IF WE HAD THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN DIFFERENT CANNABIS DISPENSARIES THAT EXIST BETWEEN DIFFERENT TOBACCO SHOPS RIGHT NOW. SO ANYWAY, I'LL BE VOTING NO. BUT IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL ASK CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON COUNCILMEMBER CHOWDHURY'S AMENDMENT. THIS IS CHANGING IT FROM 500 FEET TO 300 SQUARE FEET -- NOT SQUARE FEET. [1:56:18] **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** 300 FEET FROM K-12 SCHOOLS. COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. **Commissioner Baxley:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CAMPBELL. **Commissioner Campbell:** NO. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CHOWDHURY. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CONLEY. **Commissioner Conley:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** JONES. **Commissioner Jones:** NO. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** OLSON. **Commissioner Olson:** AYE. [1:56:35] **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** THOMPSON. **Commissioner Thompson:** NO. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** WAGNER. **Commissioner Wagner:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** MEYER. **Chris Meyer:** NO. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** SO WE HAVE FIVE AYES AND FOUR NAYS. **Chris Meyer:** THAT IS ADOPTED. SO WE'RE BACK TO THE UNDERLYING MOTION, WHICH IS TO ADOPT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. NOW WITH TWO CHANGES, CHANGING IT FROM FAVE ACRES TO THREE AND 500 SQUARE FEET TO 300. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR MOTIONS ON THE UNDERLYING MOTION? [1:57:03] **Commissioner:** GOT ONE MINUTE. **Chris Meyer:** [LAUGHS] AND 13 SECONDS. ANYONE? ALL RIGHT. CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE UNDERLYING MOTION. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** COMMISSIONER BAXLEY. [1:57:19] **Commissioner Baxley:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CAMPBELL. **Commissioner Campbell:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CHOWDHURY. **Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** CONLEY. **Commissioner Conley:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** JONES. **Commissioner Jones:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** OLSON. **Commissioner Olson:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** THOMPSON. [1:57:34] **Commissioner Thompson:** NO. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** WAGNER. **Commissioner Wagner:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** MEYER. **Chris Meyer:** AYE. **Clerk (Destiny Zhang):** WE HAVE EIGHT AYES AND ONE NAY. **Chris Meyer:** THAT MOTION IS ADOPTED. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS FOR THE EVENING. OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING IS GOING TO BE ON OCTOBER 15 WHICH IS A TUESDAY. [1:57:53] **Chris Meyer:** IT'S AFTER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY SO DON'T COME ON MONDAY. COME ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15. AND THERE'S NO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE THIS WEEK. THE NEXT ONE WILL BE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH. ARE THERE ANY OTHER UPDATES FROM STAFF OR FROM COMMISSIONERS? **Meg McMahon:** COMMISSIONERS, JUST AN UPDATE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DID APPROVE THE INTERIM USE PERMIT FOR 918 EAST LAKE STREET. [1:58:17] **Meg McMahon:** THAT'S ALL. **Chris Meyer:** GREAT. THANK YOU. **Commissioner Thompson:** I JUST WANT TO -- I DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO THANK STAFF SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR WOR AND DIRECTOR MCMAHON, I WANT TO RECOMMEND MAYBE YOU EXTEND SOME PTO TO THESE FINE FOLKS FOR ALL THEIR GREAT WORK. [1:58:35] **Commissioner Thompson:** [LAUGHTER] THAT'S IT. **Destiny Zhang:** CHAIR MEYER, IF I CAN ADD SOMETHING. I DID SEND YOU FOLKS SOME A DIVERSITY SURVEY, JUST WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE DIVERSE BOARD, SO IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO DO US A FAVOR AND FILL THAT OUT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I CAN REFORWARD IT TO YOU IF YOU NEED IT. THE SURVEY CLOSES OCTOBER 11. [1:58:53] **Destiny Zhang:** THANKS. **Chris Meyer:** GREAT. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.