CLOQUET — Councilor Shiela Lamb will likely cast the deciding vote on where marijuana dispensaries can open in the city.
With Lamb absent Tuesday, May 6, the City Council deadlocked 3-3 on a zoning ordinance regulating marijuana sales and production business locations.
As the state prepares to begin allowing marijuana sales, local municipalities have some decisions to make. Cloquet is starting that process with an update to its zoning code, identifying in which zoning districts marijuana-related businesses can operate.
There have been no objections to two of the proposed updates:
Sales of lower-potency hemp-derived consumable products will be permitted in all of the city’s commercial areas. Growers and other cannabis-related businesses that don’t sell directly to consumers can operate in industrial districts only.
The debate comes over where dispensaries can sell to consumers. The proposal recommended by city staff and the planning commission is to permit marijuana retailers only in the regional commercial and city center districts, located along state Highway 33 and Cloquet Avenue. Some stakeholders, however, want to also allow sales in the historic commercial and mixed residential/commercial districts.
City Administrator Tim Peterson said the recommendation was developed to keep marijuana sales away from homes and certain public facilities such as schools.
“Just as a starting point, having neighborhoods that close to retail sales of cannabis didn’t seem like where we wanted to at least start drafting this ordinance,” Peterson said.
But two businesses hoping to open dispensaries objected because their proposed sites would not be permitted.
Christina Lau and a business partner want to open Aurora Dispensaries on the east side of Highway 33 next to True North Tattoo Co. But that side of the highway is in the mixed zoning district.
Shaun Naalsund also wants the option for the vacant building he owns in the historic district on the city’s west end.
Meanwhile, Mary Lou Tarvers, who lives on Adams Street in the mixed zoning district, told the council she has “concerns about a full cannabis (dispensary) being literally in our backyard.”
Councilors acknowledged having mixed feelings over the decision.
“I can see both sides of it,” said Councilor Lara Wilkinson, noting that there are vacant storefronts and restricting business could lead to more blight.
“It’s a complicated issue,” she said. “What we want to see is a healthy community with responsibly run businesses of all kinds, minimal crime and thriving neighborhoods, and the way we get to that is complicated.”
Councilor Chris Swanson noted that there also are vacant storefronts in the city center district where dispensaries could open under the more restrictive proposal.
“I think it’s really wise to keep that footprint tight so it can be managed,” he said. Pointing to the mixed district on the zoning map, Swanson added, “A lot of families live in there, and I’ve got to be honest, I wouldn’t be comfortable either if that was in my backyard or next door.”
A motion by Swanson to approve the zoning change as proposed died with no councilor seconding the motion. A motion by Wilkinson for approval with the addition of the two debated zoning districts then died on a 3-3 vote, with Wilkinson, Lyz Jaakola and Iris Keller in favor and Swanson, Kerry Kolodge and Mayor Roger Maki in opposition.
The council then voted unanimously to table the vote until a future meeting, when hopefully all seven members will be present.
The council also has two more decisions it will need to make regarding local restrictions on cannabis.
Local jurisdictions can limit the number of retailers, based on population. Cloquet must permit at least two dispensaries under state law. Councilors will decide at a later date whether to cap the number at two, to set a higher number, or potentially no cap at all.
Cities can also opt to ban retailers within 500 feet of a school or 1,000 feet of a residential treatment center, child care center, playground or other facility regularly used by children.
City councilors were split over whether dispensaries should be permitted in most commercial areas. Read More
