TOWER- With cannabis sales now legal in Minnesota, and state permits for cannabis retail businesses being rolled out, the city of Tower is taking the first steps needed to locate such a business in Tower.
Tower’s planning and zoning committee, Tuesday, approved a draft of a new ordinance to regulate the sale of cannabis, as well as changes to the city’s zoning ordinance spelling out where such a business could be located.
Rick Petrzilka has received a social equity license for a retail business to sell cannabis in Tower. His daughter and Rick’s Relics owner, Julie Petrzilka, said the first step in a long series of steps required, is to make sure they can get retail licensure and the zoning approval from the city to locate their business on Main Street. She estimated it would take 12 to 18 months to get the business up and running.
Petrzilka had reviewed the draft of the zoning ordinance changes and asked the planning and zoning committee to make some changes, since the draft proposal’s 1,000 ft. buffer between such a business and any schools or parks effectively would ban such a business on Tower’s Main Street.
“This is an outcome that seems counter to the spirit of recent legalization and efforts to support local economic development,” she said, noting this created an apparent double standard, since Tower currently has three bars within 1,000 feet of its schools and parks.
Petrzilka has been operating a shop for the past two years in Ely that sells low-potency hemp products. They have also been legally selling low-potency hemp products without issue for three years at their location in Tower.
“We have had full compliance with the law and no incidents involving underage attempts to purchase,” she said, noting the main demographic of their customers is older women with arthritis. She said her shops are inspected annually by the state to make sure the products they are selling are compliant with state law.
The new state laws regulating the sale of cannabis will require they construct a secure spot in the Rick’s Relics building. She also noted there are no cannabis products available for them to purchase for resale at this point in time, as the state is still working to finalize those rules and permits. Retail sales of cannabis products are now underway at the Bois Forte- Vermilion Reservation.
City clerk-treasurer Michael Schultz said the draft ordinance and zoning changes were put together using language from other existing ordinances and draft ordinances from St. Louis County and Ely.
“The city has discretion,” he said, noting that the city council will make the final decisions.
Zoning committee members agreed to remove the 1,000 ft. buffer from the zoning rules, and to instead limit such businesses to the commercial-retail zoned areas in the city. They also agreed to allow up to two such businesses at this time. The draft ordinance would also allow other cannabis-related businesses in industrial-zoned areas, such as cultivation and manufacturing.
The city’s proposed cannabis ordinance regulates hours of operation, license and registration fees, compliance checks, and penalties for violation of the ordinance. The ordinance does not permit cannabis use in public places including restaurants and bars.
The committee will have the city attorney review the draft ordinance and changes before it goes to the city council.
The committee thanked Petrzilka for her outreach on the issue.
“When the public comes and makes comments, we listen,” said committee member Joe Morin. “We are glad you came. You literally helped change the law.”
“People need to understand they can make a difference,” said Schultz.
The council will consider the draft ordinance and amendments to the zoning ordinance at their June 9 regular meeting.
Marjo RE development public hearing set
The zoning committee received the preliminary plat submission for the Marjo development and set a public hearing for June 12 at 4 p.m. to get public input on the plan. City zoning administrator Cliff Koski said the proposal looks good, and he said the process would also involve approving a planned-unit development (PUD) at the same time.
“The density and wetlands work are already done,” he said.
Developer Orlyn Kringstad said the PUD paperwork, as well as the HOA paperwork, is also completed.
Once the public hearing is completed, the zoning board will make a recommendation to the council, then the council has 30 days to approve or not approve the preliminary plat. Then the developer has six months to submit a final plat, or a final plat for a portion of the project.