St. Paul City Council passes cannabis business zoning ordinance

By FOX 9 Staff
Published  September 19, 2024 7:52pm CDT
FOX 9

Applications for licenses to grow and process industrial amounts of hemp in Minnesota opened to Minnesotans in 2023, subject to restrictions. (FOX 9)

The Brief

    • The St. Paul City Council passed an ordinance that puts restrictions on where and how cannabis retailers can conduct their business.
    • The ordinance prohibits cannabis shops from sharing an entrance with a tobacco shop, being in residential areas or near schools.
    • Retailers must also have security surveillance cameras at their stores and limit their cultivation to facility sizes.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The St. Paul City Council unanimously passed an ordinance on Wednesday that regulates how and where cannabis retailers conduct business in the city. 

What the ordinance says 

  • The zoning ordinance states cannabis businesses must be at least 300 feet from a primary or secondary school.
  • Cannabis retailers must also have a 24/7 surveillance camera system that visually records all sales areas and points of entry and exit. 
  • The entrance to a cannabis shop must also be separate from a business licensed as a tobacco shop.
  • The ordinance also prohibits outdoor cultivation in residential areas.
  • St. Paul now requires a conditional use permit (CUP) for retail locations that are larger than 15,000 feet, unless the location is in an industrial district. 
  • Limited cannabis production and cultivation, defined as an operation that is under 15,000 square feet, is allowed in mixed-use, commercial and industrial districts. Commercial outdoor cultivation, like rooftop growing, requires a CUP.
  • Cultivation operations larger than 15,000 square feet can only be located in industrial-zoned districts. 

Cannabis zoning maps 

The St. Paul Planning and Economic Development Department shared maps that illustrate the zones outlined in the ordinance. 

Map shows zones outlined in St. Paul cannabis business ordinance. From: Supplied
Map shows zones outlined in St. Paul cannabis business ordinance. From: Supplied
Map shows zones outlined in St. Paul cannabis business ordinance. From: Supplied

What city leaders are saying 

Council President and Ward 4 Representative said "I am proud of the thoughtful zoning amendments passed by the City Council today, which set the table for an equitable and economically beneficial local cannabis industry in our capital city. St. Paul is leading the way in modeling how cities can approach the opportunity of this landmark new state law."

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said "This is a critical step forward toward establishing a vibrant and responsible cannabis industry." 

The Source 

  • The St. Paul City Council agenda, footage of meeting proceedings the zoning rules posted on the city website.