Another cannabis retail store is on Worthington City Council agenda

A conditional use permit for a cannabis retail store — the fifth such request to come before the Worthington City Council — will be considered during Monday's council meeting.

NB2A Investments, LLC (Roy’zzz Premium Cannabis) has requested a conditional use permit to allow for the operation of a cannabis retail store at 507 South Shore Drive. City code states that cannabis retail facilities are permitted by conditional use only in the ‘B-3’ district, the zoning designation of the subject property.

The City Planning Commission voted 3-1 during its Oct. 7 meeting to recommend approval of the requested conditional use permit with conditions. The subject property is a corner lot at the intersection of South Shore Drive and South Lake Street that abuts railroad property. Across South Shore Drive is Lake Okabena and across South Lake Street is the JBS Fieldhouse, which is on property zoned ‘B-2’ central business.

Another cannabis-related item on Monday's agenda is consideration of a text amendment pertaining to low-potency hemp edible sales zoning requirements. 

It's stated in the meeting's agenda packet that lower-potency hemp edibles have been legal in the State of Minnesota for quite some time, and those products are on the shelf in a number of stores today. When the state legalized recreational cannabis use, the regulations for lower-potency products changed as well. The primary change dealt with the licensing and registration process for retailers. 

The state is now moving existing retailers (along with any new ones) to the newer licensing and registration process, which now requires that lower-potency hemp edible retailers obtain a local retail registration. As a result of this change, the city must ensure that local ordinances are in place to handle these changes, including zoning requirements. Two other items on the council agenda are related to this matter.

Among other business, three public hearings are scheduled. One is for proposed assessment for the 27^th Street improvement project, while two others are for residential property tax abatements.