In a decisive move, the Wayzata City Council has halted plans to explore opening a municipal cannabis shop, opting instead to focus on zoning regulations for private cannabis businesses in the city. During its meeting on Tuesday night, the council unanimously agreed to cease dedicating resources to pursuing a city-owned cannabis operation.
Mayor Andrew Mullin summarized the council’s decision, which followed an in-depth workshop earlier in the evening. “We had a unanimous consensus to put that action on hold, which would mean, for the foreseeable future, until this council or a future council brings it back we will cease expending resources, money, or staff time to exploring entering the cannabis business,” Mullin stated.
The council also approved the second reading of Ordinance 845, which establishes a regulatory framework for cannabis businesses in Wayzata. City Manager Jeff Dahl outlined the key components of the ordinance, which include licensing provisions and zoning restrictions and buffers aimed at limiting the locations where cannabis-related enterprises can operate.
City Manager Jeff Dahl explained that the ordinance includes licensing provisions and zoning restrictions designed to limit cannabis businesses to specific areas. “The council chose a conservative approach, limiting cannabis business locations to specific commercial areas such as parts of Wayzata Boulevard,” Dahl said. He added that the zoning rules incorporate state-provided buffer guidelines to ensure businesses operate in appropriate locations.
The ordinance stems from state legislation passed two years ago legalizing recreational cannabis. Wayzata had implemented a temporary moratorium on cannabis businesses, which expired at the end of last year, providing the city time to prepare its local regulations.
With the unanimous passage of the ordinance and the decision to shelve municipal cannabis shop plans, Wayzata now looks ahead to implementing the new zoning framework and preparing for potential applications from private cannabis businesses.
