Forest Lake City Council approved an amendment to the city’s cannabis registration ordinance to add local registration for low‑potency hemp edible retailers and to place a cap on adult‑use cannabis retail registrations, staff said.

Jolene, staff, told the council that after the 2024 state legislative changes the local code must address registration for certain low‑potency hemp edible products (for example, low‑THC beverages sold at some retailers). Ordinance 7‑59 amends Chapter 117 to require retailers wishing to sell low‑potency hemp edibles to register with the city and sets an annual registration fee at $125, the maximum fee allowed by statute. The ordinance also adds a retail cap for adult‑use cannabis registrations set at the statutory minimum plus one; staff stated that amount in the presentation as three registrations for adult‑use retail.

Jolene said she had asked Washington County about the possibility of delegating registration and was told the county could not enforce a local cap if the city imposed one, a point the city considered when drafting the ordinance. The staff report notes the $125 fee will not fully cover enforcement costs but state law limits the fee amount.

Councilmember Valento moved to approve Ordinance 7‑59 amending Forest Lake City Code Title 11 Chapter 117 to include low‑potency hemp edible retailers and to set retail registrations as proposed; a colleague seconded and the ordinance passed by voice vote.

Details not specified in the meeting record: timing for local registration processing, the number and identity of any local applicants and operational enforcement procedures beyond the fee amount.