Brainerd council adopts ordinance revising zoning table, allowing certain uses and indoor cannabis cultivation where greenhouses are permitted; approves St. Fr.

The Brainerd City Council conducted a unanimous final reading and adopted proposed ordinance 1591 on Aug. 18, approving changes to the city's table of allowed uses in multiple zoning districts.

Staff and the planning commission recommended the ordinance, which (as presented) deregulates certain uses in makers/employment and general industrial districts; deregulates churches, daycares and schools in commercial districts while keeping them conditional in residential districts; and allows indoor cannabis cultivation in existing zoning districts where commercial greenhouses are permitted.

City staff asked the council to dispense with the full textual reading because the ordinance relies on a long appendix (the table of uses), and the council unanimously agreed to dispense with reading and to adopt the ordinance. The council also approved a resolution authorizing a summary publication of the ordinance due to length.

Separately, council approved a revised development agreement with St. Francis. Staff said the only substantive change since the prior meeting was adding a five-year limit on removing the 9th Street right-of-way following a vacation; St. Francis staff accepted the change and council approved the development agreement.

All votes on the ordinance, the summary-publication resolution and the St. Francis development agreement passed by recorded voice/roll-call affirmation as shown in the meeting record.