Minnetrista council limits cannabis cultivation to industrial zones, overrides planning commission recommendation

Minnetrista City Council voted Feb. 3 to adopt an ordinance amending city code on cannabis and hemp businesses that restricts commercial cannabis cultivation to properties in industrial zones, rather than allowing cultivation in agricultural-preserve parcels of 50 acres or more as the planning commission had recommended.

City Community Development Director David Abel told the council the draft ordinance presented at the work session remained largely unchanged from the earlier draft but the planning commission recommended allowing cultivation in agricultural-preserve districts only on parcels of at least 50 acres. Abel said staff included maps showing the limited number of parcels that would meet that 50-acre threshold. The council voted to adopt the ordinance and authorized publication by title and summary.

The planning commission had recommended agricultural-preserve cultivation with a 50-acre minimum…