2023.06.12 CC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Meeting Minutes for June 12, 2023 Page 10 of 12 February, 2023, Council had authorized WSB to complete the draft prospectus to be submitted to the Technical Evaluation Panel to determine if the wetland bank was worth pursuing. In May, 2023, the Council approved some funding for additional monitoring work based on the feedback from the TEP. WSB had prepared a cost estimating memo outlining the next steps and a proposal for submitting the prospectus document to the TEP. The total project area of 123 acres would yield approximately 70 credits of wetland banking credits. She provided a total cost estimate of $568,000-$700,055. This did not include any trail construction but that was estimated at 1.2-2.2 million depending on the need for boardwalks and the final outline. Potential revenue was estimated at the sale of 70 wetland credits, but a more conservative estimate would be 50 credits depending on existing wetlands or if the project did not meet the performance standards. Potential revenue from the sale of credits could be between $2.1. and $6.1 million. Denaway said the TEP was generally supportive of the project, and WSB felt it was appropriate to move on to the next steps Klein made motion, Petryk seconded, to approve proposal from WSB to develop the North Star Wetland Bank Prospectus in the amount of $55,026. All Ayes. Motion carried. Discussion on Consideration of Cannabis Businesses Moratorium City Administrator Bryan Bear explained the edibles bill approved by the legislature last year legalized low potency edible products but did not provide framework for regulation. The City had approved a mortarium that would expire in August that prohibited the sale and manufacturing of them. During the 2023 Legislative Session, a cannabis bill was approved to legalize the use, possession, and sale of cannabis products. The legislation was comprehensive and very lengthy. Procession and use would become legal in August of this year, but the sale of these products was likely to be delayed until January, 2025 to allow the state to create the agency to manage licensing and regulations to be known as the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). After the regulatory framework was establish, the City would need to fit its local responsibility within this framework. In order to allow time for that to occur, the City could put on a new interim ordinance. The interim ordinance may regulate, restrict, or prohibit the operation of a cannabis businesses within the jurisdiction or a portion thereof until January 1, 2025. Before adopting an interim ordinance, the governing body must hold a public hearing. Miron asked if with the intersection of these two bills, would the currently allowed edibles be licensed by the new state agency. Bear explained there were a few rules that now needed to follow, and there would be more under this bill. Until the OCM is established, they will be under the regulation of the MN Department of Health. He explained the new law required they apply through the state and register with the City if it complied with zoning rules. The new regulations imposed some maximums in zoning controls. The City could impose some requirements for restrictions. Petryk asked what the fees the City could impose. Bear replied that some cities had been setting their own fee structure for the low potency products. The new legislation put a halt to that and