Houston County board adopts new fees, including local cannabis registration tiers; special‑use ATV permit held out

The Houston County Board of Commissioners approved a package of new fees and fee changes at Tuesday’s meeting after a public hearing. The package includes a county registration framework for state‑licensed cannabis businesses, increases to several existing fees and the creation of a small number of new fees. The board excluded the proposed Special Use Vehicle permit fee tied to the ATV/UTV ordinance; that fee will be considered only if the board adopts the ordinance.

The change is significant because local registration and renewal fees are the principal local revenue the county can collect from cannabis businesses under state law. The new schedule matches the state’s licensing categories and sets maximum local registration levels the county may charge.

County staff advised the board that the cannabis registration schedule follows the classification the state is using and that the proposed amounts reflect the maximum the county can assess under statute. The auditor‑treasurer’s office will administer retail registrations. County staff said initial registration fees include the first-year renewal; separate renewal fees begin in year two.

Carol (county staff) presented the revised fee list and explained the auditor‑treasurer will collect registration fees for retailers and related retail endorsements. She said the initial registration includes the first year’s renewal and that microbusinesses that do not seek retail endorsement would not pay a retail registration fee.

Several members of the public and prospective license applicants spoke during the hearing. Alex Traister, a Brownsville resident and owner of CarbonMN LLC, asked the board to consider administrative costs of processing registrations and suggested lower fees for production businesses and reduced fees for social‑equity applicants. County staff said the registration process will be administered through the auditor‑treasurer and that the board can revisit fee levels later if necessary.

Other fee changes approved at the meeting included: increasing the tobacco license fee and adding a late renewal fee; a modest increase in the Sunday liquor license fee; updated peddler/transient merchant fees; and a small buoy‑permit fee for privately installed advisory buoys. The board voted to approve the package by roll call; all commissioners voted yes.

The board asked staff to evaluate administrative costs and keep the option open to adjust fees in the future. Commissioners also noted that municipal governments within the county may adopt their own local fees and ordinances, which could be recognized under the county’s approach to permits and registrations.