06-12-2024 Council Workshop - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE WORKSHOP MEETING CITY COUNCIL LITTLE CANADA, MINNESOTA JUNE 129 2024 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a Workshop meeting of the City Council of Little Canada, Minnesota was convened on the 22nd day of May, 2024 in the Conference Room of the City Center located at 515 Little Canada Road in said City. Mayor Tom Fischer called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and the following members of the City Council were present at roll call: ROLL CALL: In attendance were Mayor Fischer, City Council Members T. Miller, Gutierrez, Kwapick and D. Miller. Absent: None. ALSO PRESENT: City Administrator Chris Heineman, Community Development Director Corrin Wendell and City Clerk/HR Manager Heidi Heller. DISCUSS SALES TAX HOUSING PROGRAM OPTIONS: NEIGHBORWORKS PRESENTATION The Community Development Director stated that at the City Council's March Workshop, the Council discussed the Minnesota 0.25% sales tax which was established to address housing needs and serves as an important financial tool for cities in the state. She explained that this dedicated sales tax revenue is earmarked specifically for housing initiatives, enabling cities to fund affordable housing projects, combat homelessness, and enhance housing stability within their communities. She noted it is the state's first ongoing funding stream dedicated to housing. Jason Peterson, Executive Director of NeighborWorks Home Partners, provide information to the City Council on the programming, options, partnerships, and next steps to partnering with them on potential programs that could benefit the residents of Little Canada. He said they have been around for 43 years and their mission is to help people buy, fix and keep their homes, but their core is to provide lending services, particularly loans that people that may not be able to get from a bank. There was Council consensus to continue discussion on a housing loan program. REVIEW DRAFT OF NEW CITY CODE CHAPTER 826 FOR THC/CANNABINOID LICENSING The City Clerk explained that in July 2022, THC became legal in Minnesota, and since THC is a product that gives a "high", many cities consider it to be in the same category as tobacco and liquor, and are requiring licensing and regulations for businesses that sell products containing THC. She reviewed the draft of a new city code chapter for THC licensing. She reviewed the specific items addressed in the code and noted that staff is not recommending a distance radius for THC businesses since there were potentially two existing businesses that are close to a school, and most cities are not requiring a specific distance for THC retailers. There was Council consensus to move forward with minor amendments to the draft code and bring forward for adoption, with a start date for licensing of January 1, 2025.