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Stearns County debate centers on 20-year term for cannabis interim-use permit; board approves planning commission recommendation
Summary
Commissioners debated whether a 20-year interim use permit for a cannabis operation is appropriate given the project's upfront costs and novelty; staff said the board would need a separate public hearing if it sought a different term. The board approved the planning commission recommendation 3–1.
Stearns County commissioners on Aug. 12 debated how long to grant an interim use permit (IUP) for a proposed cannabis operation before approving the planning commission’s recommendation.
Commissioners discussed whether a 20-year term, which the planning commission recommended, is appropriate for what they described as a new local activity. Several commissioners said they would prefer a shorter initial term to allow review as the county gains experience. “This is the first one we’re approving to my knowledge … I’d rather walk down the hill,” one commissioner said during board discussion, urging caution given the significant upfront investment many cannabis businesses must make in ventilation and electrical infrastructure.
Angie Berg, Environmental Services, told the board that if the board wants to impose a condition different from the planning commission’s recommendation — for example changing the term length from 20 years to a shorter period — county policy requires the board to hold its own public hearing. Berg said staff could extend the 60-day review window and hold a hearing “probably September, early October,” depending on calendar availability.
Commissioner Perske, who participated in the planning commission hearing, said the planning commission considered the investment required for cannabis facilities and chose 20 years to provide operational certainty while retaining the IUP process as a safeguard. “If there are violations, then those violations get documented, and the IUP could get pulled,” Perske said.
Commissioner Clark moved to approve the planning commission recommendation; Commissioner Notch seconded. The motion carried on a 3–1 roll-call vote (Clark — aye; Perske — aye; Notch — aye; Bertram — no).
Why it matters: an IUP establishes the county’s conditions for a use that is otherwise not allowed in a zoning district. The term length determines how quickly the county must revisit regulatory conditions and affects the economic calculus for businesses that must invest in building modifications and specialized equipment. Changing a planning-commission recommended condition would require a board-level public hearing, per staff guidance.
What’s next: Planning & Zoning will process the IUP under the board’s approval and applicable county procedures. If the board or the public seeks a different term, staff said it could schedule a board-level public hearing this fall.
