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Nicollet County adopts cannabis ordinance, authorizes township delegation agreements
Summary
Following Planning Commission recommendation, the county adopted a cannabis ordinance that implements Minnesota’s adult‑use law locally (time/place/manner restrictions), limits retail licenses to one per 12,500 residents, prohibits onsite consumption at retail locations, and authorized delegation agreements with nine townships for enforcement.
The Nicollet County Board adopted a local cannabis ordinance on Dec. 17, 2024, implementing Minnesota’s adult‑use cannabis law with time, place and manner restrictions and local provisions tailored to rural county geography.
County planner and legal staff told the board the ordinance follows Minnesota Chapter 342 and allows the county to impose statutory setbacks, add local setbacks for dwellings, churches and public libraries, and limit retail locations to one license per 12,500 residents within county boundaries. Staff and the assistant county attorney noted the county’s ordinance covers rural/unincorporated areas; cities (North Mankato and Saint Peter) set their own rules and are not limited by the county’s cap. The planner said Planning Commission members had no public comments at its hearing; the board heard no public comment at the county hearing.
The board also approved a set of delegation agreements with nine townships (Bernadotte, Brighton, Granby, Lafayette, Nicollet, Oshawa, West Newton, New Sweden and Belgrade) to allow those townships to enforce and register cannabis businesses under the county’s ordinance; Ridgely Township’s returned agreement will be presented in January. County legal staff cautioned the board that rules from the Office of Cannabis Management and ongoing litigation may prompt future ordinance amendments.
Commissioners asked about the county‑wide license cap and whether retail licenses will likely be located in cities; staff said North Mankato and Saint Peter will likely host the available retail locations, but wholesale or grow operations (greenhouses) could locate in permitted industrial districts. The ordinance takes effect Jan. 1, 2025, and the county plans to publish a summary in the Saint Peter Herald.
