HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-12-2024 City Council Minutes- work session Minutes
City Council Work Session
Monday, August 12, 2024, 5:00 PM
t14-ESH00" City Council Chambers 12780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356
ROLL CALL
City Council members present: Mayor Dennis Walsh, City Council Members Alisa Benson, Richard
Crosby, Matt Johnson, Maria Veach.
Staff present: Community Development Director Laura Oakden, City Administrator Adam Edwards,
Police Chief Coney Farniok, City Attorney Soren Mattick, City Planner Melanie and City Clerk
Christine Lusian.
CANNABIS
Community,Development Director Oakden introduced updates to cannabis sales regulations,
including registrations, enforcement, and zoning. The state will allow sales of high potency retail
sales beginning in January, requiring each city to allow at least one cannabis business. Within our
current zoning regulations, 35 commercial and six industrial properties could operate a cannabis
business. With a new buffer added, cannabis businesses are limited to only three commercial and
one industrial property. Members agreed that regulations should be most restrictive near schools.
Staff recommends providing Hennepin County the authority to administer registrations, conduct
compliance checks, and provide enforcement. Members directed staff to draft language on the
most restrictive buffers and delegation of registration and enforcement to the county retaining the
authority to investigate complaints that come in to the city.
AVERAGE LAKESHORE SETBACK
Oakden introduced part five of discussions on average lakeshore setback and seven variance
analysis options that staff could use when reviewing building plans in the lakeshore properties.
Council agreed that the goal is to solve a problem. Concerns raised by the group were the
significance of the problem with staff time, if a process overhaul is necessary for the protection
of the lakeshore, and if a change is compliance with existing policies and plans. Members
discussed the major impact this has to the character of the city and the importance of timing
public input opportunities so that some residents aren't unintentionally excluded, such as
snowbirds.
ADJOURNMENT
Work session ended at 5:47 p.m.
ATTEST: CITY COUNCIL
Christine Lus y, City Clerk Dennis Walsh, Mayor