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Winona County adopts draft cannabis business registration ordinance, board to review impacts later
Summary
The Winona County Board voted unanimously to adopt a draft cannabis business registration ordinance based on the state model, establishing registration, renewal, and local review processes and directing periodic review of health and safety impacts.
Winona County commissioners voted to adopt a draft county ordinance to register and regulate cannabis retail businesses in unincorporated parts of the county and in local units that have delegated registration authority.
The ordinance follows the state minimum requirements and sets a framework including: a county registration and renewal process, limits tied to population (the county limit follows the statute’s minimum of one retail registration per 12,500 people, with an option for the county to issue up to five additional registrations), an annual renewal requirement with board review if a registrant has not opened a business within a year, and a provision for temporary-event permits to come before the county board. The county attorney’s office added language intended to give the county flexibility to rescind registrations that are not acted upon within a reasonable timeline.
County planning and legal staff told the board they used the state template and adjusted language where needed. Staff noted limits on commercially zoned land in the county, and said the ordinance is intentionally designed to be modifiable as local experience grows. Planning staff and the county attorney emphasized the county can review impacts periodically and return to the board to adjust regulation as needed.
Several townships and small cities were contacted; staff said they received responses from most jurisdictions and several requested delegation or engaged with the county about local controls. County staff also warned of an unresolved statutory timing issue: if the county reaches the population-based registration limit, townships that have not delegated authority to the county would not be required to register additional retailers, which could create a mismatch between local and county capacity under the statute. Staff said they will monitor how that interplay plays out in practice.
Commissioner Vaguely moved adoption; Commissioner Olsen seconded. The board voted in favor on a voice vote with no no votes recorded. Commissioners asked staff to monitor implementation and return to the board to revise the ordinance if problems emerge.
