Notice is hereby given that the Dakota County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 9 a.m. on May 20, 2025, in the Boardroom of the Dakota County Administration Center, 1590 Highway 55, Hastings, to receive comments to proposed county ordinance regulating the registration and sale of cannabis products and amending the 2025 fee schedule.
This new ordinance has been put forth due to Minnesota Statute 342 being passed by the State of Minnesota legislature on May 30, 2023, regulating adult-use cannabis and lower-potency hemp edibles. County staff drafted the cannabis ordinance to ensure consistency with state laws requiring retail cannabis establishments to register with a local government entity. Some cities or townships may choose to consent and grant this authority to Dakota County.
The county board may adopt reasonable restrictions of the time, place and manner of the operation of a cannabis business provided that such restrictions do not prohibit the establishment or operation of cannabis businesses, and implement location registration, annual compliance checks, and enforcement requirements of state-licensed cannabis retail businesses and lower-potency hemp edible retail businesses.
Adoption of the cannabis ordinance also requires amending the 2025 fee schedule to include the following fees:
Cannabis retailer
| $500
| $1,000
|
Lower-potency hemp retailer
| $125
| $125
|
Medical combination retailer
| $500
| $500
|
Mezzobusiness retailer
| $500
| $1,000
|
Microbusiness retailer
| $0
| $1,000
|
Temporary cannabis event license
| $150
| n/a
|
The proposed amendments were approved by the General Governance and Policy Committee on April 8, 2025. Copies of the ordinance can be requested from the Dakota County Public Services and Revenue Division, 651-438-4247.
Updated information on the manner of the public meeting can be found on the Dakota County website. The public hearing may be monitored via live stream on the Commissioner Meetings webpage.
Interested agencies, groups or persons attending the public hearing shall have the right to provide written or oral comments. Submit comments for the public hearing via email to countyadmin@co.dakota.mn.us, telephone or other electronic means. Persons wishing to make comments during the public hearing should notify the Clerk to the Board via email at jennifer.reynolds@co.dakota.mn.us or 651-438-4417. Requests must be received by noon the day before the meeting. Instructions on how to participate will be sent to anyone interested.
Draft Cannabis Ordinance