Brainerd council adopts ordinance to allow cannabis retail registrations

The Brainerd City Council on June 2 adopted Ordinance 1582, amending city code to permit retail cannabis registrations and to allow registrations based on preliminary state approvals.

The ordinance, passed after a final reading and unanimous procedural vote to dispense with the full reading, establishes that city retail registrations will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis and requires prospective retailers to comply with local zoning and land-use rules. Connie, a city staffer who presented the ordinance, said the changes reflect recent state legislation and allow the city to issue registrations when state preliminary approvals exist.

Council discussion was limited. The measure passed on a roll-call vote: Chzach, Johnson, Jagger, Ericson, Beans and Oday voted in favor; one member voted no during the adoption vote recorded in the meeting minutes. The council previously reviewed alternative language at its May 5 meeting and chose the current approach to balance state guidance and local land-use oversight.

Why it matters: The ordinance creates a clear local path for cannabis retailers to seek city registration and then pursue state licensing, removing uncertainty about whether the city could act on preliminary state approvals. It also ties retail registrations to compliance with zoning rules, which staff said will control location and land-use impacts.

What happens next: Staff will implement the registration process and accept applications under the new ordinance; applicants must demonstrate compliance with city zoning and any other applicable conditions before operations begin. The council did not set a moratorium or additional limits on the number of registrations beyond the first-come, first-served rule.