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Prospective Mankato microbusiness seeks downtown cannabis retail site; council staff points to existing zoning limits
Summary
A local attorney and prospective business owner told the Mankato City Council they are seeking a microbusiness retail endorsement and asked how the city's limits and buffer zones will affect leasing decisions. City staff said the city adopted zoning buffer zones last fall and limited retail to four locations.
James J. Kittner, a local attorney, told the Mankato City Council during public comment that he and Cora Hamann are exploring a Minnesota microbusiness license that would include a retail endorsement and asked the council for clarity on local licensing and siting rules. "We are looking at opening up a retail business to sell cannabis, cannabis related products," Kittner said, adding the retail operation would also sell non-cannabis plants and teach classes for community members who want to grow at home.
City Manager Susan Arns told the council the city already adopted local rules last fall that limit retail cannabis outlets and establish buffer zones. "We have made decisions about, zoning. We have made decisions that are in our city code about cannabis and locations. And the council did decide from the higher level retailers to limit it to 4 retailers," Arns said, and staff offered to provide a map of the adopted buffer zones to the prospective applicants.
Kittner said his client is seeking a single retail location under a microbusiness license and that the site they are considering is in the downtown entertainment district, which he described as away from schools and parks. He said the prospective business would set hours to avoid late-night disturbances and would not sell in a way that "creates hullabaloo, no ruckus, no trouble." Kittner also said the state licensing process includes multiple endorsements and that the state rules continue to evolve.
Arns told the council the city code changes were adopted on Nov. 25 and went into effect after the required public notice period; staff can supply the adopted map and buffer-zone details to interested applicants. No formal action was taken by the council on the matter during the meeting.
The exchange followed public-comment protocol and addressed questions the applicants said they need before committing to a long-term lease in downtown Mankato.
