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Crow Wing County staff ask board to call public hearing to register state low‑potency hemp licenses
Summary
County administrative staff told commissioners a state‑issued low‑potency hemp license requires local registration and compliance activity; staff asked the board to publish a 10‑day notice and consider a public hearing to amend the fee schedule so the county can register and collect the statutorily set local fee.
Jory Danielson, Administrative Services Director, told the Crow Wing County Board that the county must register state‑issued low‑potency hemp licenses and carry out local enforcement and underage compliance checks under state law.
Danielson said a license recently issued by the state Office of Cannabis triggered the need to add a registration line to the county’s fee schedule so staff could process and register the license locally, similar to how the county handles tobacco and alcohol permits. He said staff will ask the board at its next meeting whether to call a public hearing to amend the fee schedule; if the board calls a hearing, staff will publish notice for 10 days and the hearing would be held at the February board meeting.
Danielson and Chris Pence (county planning/regulatory staff) said the item relates to a statute they cited in the meeting (cited in the transcript as "3, 342.22") and that the state sets a registration fee and renewal structure; staff mentioned an example registration amount of $125 for the local registration in this case. They emphasized that the county could opt to perform registration and compliance without collecting fees, but that would leave the county to absorb administrative and compliance costs.
Commissioners asked follow‑up questions about how many dispensaries and related cannabis businesses operate in the county’s unincorporated areas; staff said there is one dispensary in county jurisdiction and several others in cities (Cross Lake, Brainerd, Baxter, Pequot, Jenkins). Staff also explained that under the county ordinance the cap on retail dispensaries countywide has been exceeded, so the county is not accepting new retail dispensary permit applications, though there is no cap on cultivation and manufacturing permits.
Danielson said staff will put the fee‑schedule amendment on the next board agenda and asked whether the board wants the item presented or placed on consent; commissioners asked that staff present the item at the board meeting so the board can consider calling the public hearing.
