Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Marijuana topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Royalton Township resident urges Pine County to tighten marijuana siting, mitigation rules
Summary
Denise Weiss of Royalton Township called during public forum for Pine County to reexamine where marijuana production and sales are allowed and to apply consistent mitigation rules across facility sizes.
Denise Weiss of Royalton Township used the meeting’s public forum to urge the Pine County Board to reconsider local zoning and mitigation rules for marijuana businesses.
“Has anybody ever been to a Teen Challenge event? Know what Teen Challenge is?” Weiss asked as she began her remarks, then described addiction and community impacts she attributed to marijuana and other substances. She said the county should use the common name “marijuana” rather than the industry term “cannabis.”
Weiss urged board members to relook at where large-scale production and other marijuana-related facilities are sited. She said Minnesota guidance recommends placing such operations in industrial or commercial zones and asked why Pine County would consider other siting choices. Weiss also raised equity questions about mitigation requirements she said differ for facilities under 20,000 square feet and those above that size, calling for “equal mitigation across the board.”
She closed by saying she would continue to attend meetings to press the issue.
Why it matters: Zoning and mitigation decisions determine where marijuana production, processing and retail can locate and can affect neighbors, children and local services, Weiss said. The board did not take action during the meeting on zoning changes; the remarks were made during public forum.
What’s next: Weiss said she plans to return to future meetings to press the county to review siting and mitigation rules.
