In a sparsely attended City Council meeting on December 3, 2024, only three of the five members of the council were present to deliberate Ordinance 845, a proposed measure regulating cannabis businesses within city limits. After extensive discussion, the council lacked the required votes to advance the ordinance, resulting in the issue being tabled until the December 17 meeting, when the full council is expected to be in attendance.
The ordinance, prepared in response to Minnesota’s legalization of recreational cannabis, addresses zoning, licensing, and operational parameters for cannabis retailers. It would establish strict regulations, including a single non-municipal cannabis dispensary limit within Wayzata, buffer zones around schools and treatment facilities, and restrictive operating hours of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Planning Consultant Eric Zweber presented the ordinance, noting that the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has yet to finalize its rules. “We’ve taken a conservative approach, proposing the maximum restrictions allowed by state law,” Zweber said, highlighting buffer zones and limits on temporary cannabis events.
Discussion revealed concerns among council members. Mayor pro tem Alex Plechash criticized the state’s cannabis policy as “bad policy decisions from the state, rammed down our throats.” He advocated for larger buffer zones around treatment facilities, arguing they should match those established for schools.
Others questioned the clarity of the rules. “It feels backwards,” stated council member Molly MacDonald, expressing frustration over the two-step approval process that requires conditional use permits (CUPs) before a business can apply for a state license.
The Planning Commission previously recommended the ordinance after reviewing public input, including concerns about potential conflicts between non-municipal and municipal cannabis retail businesses. However, ambiguity around buffer zones and school bus stops prompted requests for further refinement.
The absence of Mayor Johanna Mouton and council member Ken Sorensen complicated Tuesday’s proceedings. Ordinances in Wayzata require at least three affirmative votes from the five-member council to advance, regardless of attendance.
With only three members present, the council, led by Mayor Pro Tem, decided to table the vote after a 2-1 roll call. Plechash and Parkhill supported using property lines for buffer zones, while MacDonald opposed, seeming to favor building envelopes as the starting point for measurement.
Should the ordinance fail to pass before December 31, the city’s moratorium on cannabis businesses will expire, potentially leaving Wayzata without local oversight as the state continues to promulgate regulations on the fly.
The council aims to resolve the issue at its next meeting, scheduled for December 17, 2024.
This article was updated to reflect the vote.