[[{“value”:”
ROCHESTER — Olmsted County is
accepting applications
for the first retail registrations for recreational cannabis retailers.
A 10-day application for microbusinesses opened Monday, with the county accepting applications from potential businesses with a pending state-level microbusiness license application.
Olmsted County has designated eight of 14 planned retail registrations for microbusinesses, which can grow, buy and sell cannabis from a single retail location.
The number of state licenses has not been capped, but the county is allowed to cap local registrations, as long as it keeps the option open to register at least one business registration per 12,500 residents. It caps the total number of registrations at 14.
In addition to the eight registrations reserved for microbusinesses, Olmsted County is holding six registrations for potential retail cannabis registrations, which allow businesses to sell cannabis from up to five locations statewide. The state licenses don’t allow the businesses to grow cannabis for sale.
Another two county registrations are also planned for mezzobusinesses, which are licensed to grow, buy and sell cannabis from up to three outlets statewide.
The current local application process, which ends June 20, is limited to microbusinesses, to determine whether a
county lottery will be needed to determine which businesses
are allowed to register in areas overseen by Olmsted County Public Health, which include townships and most cities. The cities of Byron and Pine Island opted for their own registration oversight.
If more than eight complete and eligible microbusiness applications are received, Olmsted County elections employees will conduct the lottery, with the time, date, and location of the lottery will be announced on the county’s website at least two weeks in advance.
Applicants do not need to attend the drawing in person, but each must submit a complete application and pay the required $100 lottery fee before the June 20 deadline to be included.
Completed registration applications require:
A background check through the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management. Proof of a pending state-level microbusiness license application. Demonstration that a business location is secured and available for use upon receiving a county registration. Relevant business formation documents.
Applicants cannot submit multiple microbusiness applications under different names or entities, if they have any overlapping ownership or affiliations. Each applicant must attest, under penalty of perjury, that they are not connected to any other application submitted for a cannabis business registration in Olmsted County.
In addition to the eight primary microbusiness selections, Olmsted County plans to draw three alternate microbusiness applicants in the lottery. An alternate will be registered only if a primary applicant is unable to secure a state license or open a qualifying location within six months of the lottery, with a potential 90-day extension period.
The process for registering mezzobusinesses and cannabis retailers is expected after the state holds a
lottery for those licenses
, since the numbers for each are capped at the state level. Local registration windows are expected to be announced at a later date.
“}]] The twenty-day application period will be followed by a notice of planned lottery to identify which businesses will be allowed to open in areas overseen by the county. Read More
