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Minutes <br /> City Council Work Session <br /> Monday, August 12, 2024, 5:00 PM <br /> t14-ESH00" City Council Chambers 12780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 <br /> ROLL CALL <br /> City Council members present: Mayor Dennis Walsh, City Council Members Alisa Benson, Richard <br /> Crosby, Matt Johnson, Maria Veach. <br /> Staff present: Community Development Director Laura Oakden, City Administrator Adam Edwards, <br /> Police Chief Coney Farniok, City Attorney Soren Mattick, City Planner Melanie and City Clerk <br /> Christine Lusian. <br /> CANNABIS <br /> Community,Development Director Oakden introduced updates to cannabis sales regulations, <br /> including registrations, enforcement, and zoning. The state will allow sales of high potency retail <br /> sales beginning in January, requiring each city to allow at least one cannabis business. Within our <br /> current zoning regulations, 35 commercial and six industrial properties could operate a cannabis <br /> business. With a new buffer added, cannabis businesses are limited to only three commercial and <br /> one industrial property. Members agreed that regulations should be most restrictive near schools. <br /> Staff recommends providing Hennepin County the authority to administer registrations, conduct <br /> compliance checks, and provide enforcement. Members directed staff to draft language on the <br /> most restrictive buffers and delegation of registration and enforcement to the county retaining the <br /> authority to investigate complaints that come in to the city. <br /> AVERAGE LAKESHORE SETBACK <br /> Oakden introduced part five of discussions on average lakeshore setback and seven variance <br /> analysis options that staff could use when reviewing building plans in the lakeshore properties. <br /> Council agreed that the goal is to solve a problem. Concerns raised by the group were the <br /> significance of the problem with staff time, if a process overhaul is necessary for the protection <br /> of the lakeshore, and if a change is compliance with existing policies and plans. Members <br /> discussed the major impact this has to the character of the city and the importance of timing <br /> public input opportunities so that some residents aren't unintentionally excluded, such as <br /> snowbirds. <br /> ADJOURNMENT <br /> Work session ended at 5:47 p.m. <br /> ATTEST: CITY COUNCIL <br /> Christine Lus y, City Clerk Dennis Walsh, Mayor <br />