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<br />Minutes for the Planning Commission Meeting of Thursday, December 12, 2024 <br /> <br />Chair Kleissler called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. <br /> <br />PRESENT: Andress, Arcand, Derr, Granger, Kelly, Kleissler, Petty <br /> <br />ABSENT: Lessard <br /> <br />STAFF: Rachel Juba, Community Development Director <br />Max Gort, Associate Planner <br /> <br />Pledge of Allegiance. <br /> <br />Approval of Minutes for the Planning Commission Meeting of September 26, 2024 <br /> <br />Chair Kleissler said she had seen her name listed in the minutes when she was absent from the <br />September 26th meeting. Gort replied that this error would be corrected in the final version of the <br />minutes. <br /> <br />Commissioner Petty made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Arcand, to approve the minutes for <br />the Planning Commission meeting of September 26, 2024. <br /> <br />All ayes. <br />Kleissler abstained. <br />Motion carried. <br /> <br />Public Hearing: Cannabis Ordinance <br /> <br />Associate Planner Max Gort presented background on the cannabis ordinance that staff has been <br />drafting. In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature enacted Chapter 342, which legalized adult -use cannabis, <br />established regulatory framework for the adult-use cannabis industry, and established a state agency <br />known as the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). The legislation also allowed cities to enact a <br />temporary moratorium on cannabis-related business activity during the period in which regulatory <br />framework is set up. At its July 10, 2023 meeting the City Council adopted a 12 -month moratorium on <br />the sale, testing, manufacturing, and distribution of cannabinoid products. The moratorium was <br />extended in August of 2024, and is required by state law to expire on January 1, 2025. Staff has <br />developed a draft ordinance to regulate cannabis businesses that includes definitions for cannabis <br />related items, zoning districts where cannabis businesses would be permitted, performance standards <br />for cannabis businesses, and a procedure for registering cannabis businesses with the City. <br /> <br />Gort explained that the state licenses cannabis businesses through the OCM, and how the City is <br />required to verify that a business proposal meets local zoning requirements as a condition of state <br />license approval. After an applicant receives their license from the state, they would be required to <br />register with the City prior to commencing operations. The City is permitted by state statute to limit