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2 <br />direction of the cannabis ordinance and some questions that were raised during the previous <br />City Council and EDA meetings. In general, the ORC recommended that staff proceed with the <br />proposed zoning districts, not requiring any buffers, an d including cannabis events under <br />special event permits in the draft cannabis ordinance. <br /> <br /> <br />2. SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE: <br /> <br />A. Cannabis Ordinance <br /> <br />State statute allows local governments to adopt reasonable restrictions on the time, <br />place, and manner in which cannabis businesses can operate. While drafting an <br />ordinance, staff considered whether to recommend buffer requirements for cannabis <br />businesses. Based on findings related to existing zoning and separation of <br />noncompatible uses, staff is recommending buffers not be included in the ordinance. <br />Staff has drafted proposed zoning districts where certain cannabis business types would <br />be allowed. Generally, staff found that cannabis retailers, and other business types that <br />include retail sales, were land uses comparable to those allowed in commercial zoning <br />districts. Meanwhile, all other cannabis business types were found to be more <br />compatible with land uses allowed in industrial zoning districts. Additionally, the city is <br />required by state statute to allow temporary cannabis events in some form, and can <br />place restrictions on their operation. Staff is recommending adding standards for <br />cannabis events into the existing special event permit process. <br /> <br />B. Types of Cannabis Businesses <br /> <br />The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is setting up to issue licenses to <br />13 cannabis business types: <br />• Cannabis cultivators <br />• Cannabis manufacturers <br />• Cannabis retailers <br />• Cannabis wholesalers <br />• Cannabis transporters <br />• Cannabis testing facilities <br />• Cannabis event organizers <br />• Cannabis delivery services <br />• Cannabis microbusinesses <br />• Cannabis mezzobusinesses <br />• Lower-potency hemp edible manufacturers <br />• Lower-potency hemp edible retailers <br />• Medical cannabis combination businesses. <br /> <br />Each of these represent a specific license issued by the OCM to business owners, and <br />each have specific requirements for approval. The OCM requires that license <br />applications receive a certificate of local compliance from the local government where <br />the license is being proposed for. Cannabis microbusinesses and cannabis <br />mezzobusinesses are businesses that can apply for endorsements on their state license