Isanti staff drafts consolidated cannabis, hemp and tobacco ordinance; public hearing set for Dec. 17

City staff recommended a repeal-and-replace of the existing cannabinoid chapter into a single new Chapter 123 titled "Cannabis, Hemp, Tobacco, and Other Delivery Products." The draft consolidates registration language, moves tobacco provisions into the same chapter, and updates zoning and permitted-location rules to align with recent state law changes that authorize local registration and zoning controls.

Key staff points included:

- Registration and business licensing authority derives from state statute on cannabis and low-potency hemp products. Staff recommended not limiting the number of retail registrations at this time but asked for council direction.

- Hours of operation may be limited by the council within statutory bounds; staff noted statute permits sales between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sundays and suggested aligning limitations to statute unless council directs otherwise.

- Location limits include a 300-foot setback from schools measured "from the primary entrance of the business and the primary entrance of the school." Councilmembers discussed substituting measurement from property line and reviewed a zoning map that showed potential commercial districts and specific parcels that might be close to schools.

Staff scheduled a public hearing on the proposed amendments for Dec. 17 to solicit public comment before an adoption decision.