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Local hemp business urges county to ease land-use rules for small craft cannabis operations
Summary
Steve Zielinski of Crow Wing Green Group told the Crow Wing County Board the current land-use ordinance favors large corporate cannabis operations and asked the board to revise rules so small craft and veteran-owned microbusinesses can operate, citing state and OCM licensing changes.
At the board’s May 27 meeting, Steve Zielinski of Crow Wing Green Group urged Crow Wing County to revisit land-use rules that he said disadvantage small craft cannabis operators.
“I represent Crow Wing Green Group ... We have been licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to grow hemp on our property since 2019,” Zielinski told the board. He said his company has preliminary approval from OCM to operate as a microbusiness and that city permitting in Brainerd may allow only two retail locations by first-come, first-served preapproval. Zielinski asked the county to "please go back and look at the land use ordinance and find a way to help the small craft businesses succeed" without imposing the stricter rules used for larger corporate cannabis companies.
Board members and staff acknowledged the ongoing permitting and zoning processes; the chair asked whether Zielinski had worked with Land Services and staff indicated he had a meeting scheduled with the DRT committee. The item was filed as an open-forum comment — Zielinski did not ask the board for a specific vote on an ordinance change but requested staff review and possible revision of county land-use standards affecting cultivation and retail siting.
