City Council Workshop

10801 Town Square Drive City of Blaine Blaine MN 55449 Anoka County, Minnesota Minutes - Final City Council Workshop *While this is a public meeting where interested persons are welcome to attend, it is a work session for Council and staff to discuss issues before them. It is not for the purpose of receiving public input. Thursday, March 5, 2015 6:30 PM Cloverleaf Farm Room A NOTICE OF WORKSHOP MEETING 1 Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Mayor Ryan at 6:30 p.m. 2 Roll Call Quorum Present. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Clark Arneson; City Attorney Patrick Sweeney; Planning and Community Development Director Bryan Schafer; Public Services Manager Bob Therres; Finance Director Joe Huss; Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Chris Olson; Communications Technician Roark Haver; Senior Engineering Technician Al Thorp; City Clerk Catherine Sorensen; and Recording Secretary Linda Dahlquist. Present: 7 - Mayor Ryan, Councilmember Hovland, Councilmember Swanson, Councilmember Clark, Councilmember Bourke, Councilmember Herbst, and Councilmember King 3 New Business City of Blaine Page 1 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final March 5, 2015 3-1 WS 15-10 VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA/ASSISTED LIVING PROPOSAL-LEXINGTON AVENUE NE Planning and Community Development Director Schafer stated a development group that is working with Volunteers of America is proposing to purchase five vacant, single family lots that are owned by the Anoka County Highway Department. He stated the five parcels total approximately 2.7 acres and are currently tax exempt. He stated the proposed project is an assisted living and memory care facility with 40 to 50 units. He noted the County cannot transfer the titles directly to the developer and is asking the EDA to be the conduit to accept title and transfer it to the developer to build. He stated the investment group would own the property and not Volunteers of America. Councilmember Herbst asked if any public money would be used. Planning and Community Development Director Schafer replied no. Councilmember Swanson asked if the project would pay a Park Dedication Fee. Planning and Community Development Director Schafer replied yes. Councilmember Hovland asked about the number of parking spaces that will be allowed. Planning and Community Development Director Schafer replied enough parking for visitors and staff. Councilmember Clark asked about the level of the land behind the five properties. Planning and Community Development Director Schafer replied the land is low and considered undevelopable. Planning and Community Development Director Schafer commented the building will be a single level. He stated the developers’ engineered site plan may take up to three months to complete. Discussed and Forwarded City of Blaine Page 2 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final March 5, 2015 3-2 WS 15-09 MEDICAL CANNABIS Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Olson stated the State adopted new laws and rules for the manufacture and distribution of medical cannabis in 2014. He stated Blaine is not currently designated as a manufacture or distribution site; although the expansion of the program could include Blaine in the future. He stated the City’s commercial (retail) zones of B-2 (Community Commercial), B-3 (Regional Commercial) and PBD (Planned Business District) do not contain specific language for this use. He noted the City’s zoning codes B-2 and B-3 language would allow the sale of medical cannabis as a permitted use under general retail or pharmacy (drug store). He stated the proposed code amendment would add medical cannabis distribution as an allowed use under a Conditional Use Permit in each of the commercial zones Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Olson gave an overview of the difference between medical cannabis and street marijuana. He stated Cannabinoids THC and Cannabidiol CBD have differences between the two is the ratios in the marijuana plant. He stated THC stimulates appetite and reduces nausea, reducing pain, inflammation, and spasticity. He stated CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid for reducing pain, inflammation, controlling epileptic seizers, treating psychosis and addictions. He noted both types have the same quality and health risks. He commented street marijuana is higher in THC and is bred for the “high”. He stated there are two FDA approved medications. He stated the forms of medical cannabis sold in Minnesota will be liquid, pill and a vaporized delivery method that does not require dried leaves or plant form. He stated the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has strict standards and homogeny of the products. He stated the distribution sites will require a medical recommendation and a pharmacist will fill at that site. He noted that a recommendation does not have to come from a medical doctor. He noted that marijuana is a Schedule I drug and doctors cannot write a prescription. Councilmember Hovland asked has the State addressed drug testing and if a person uses medical cannabis. City Attorney Sweeney stated the person has a prescription and must follow the prescribed recommendation. Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Olson stated patients and caregivers need to be registered. He noted that it is uncertain how the distribution centers will be tracking people. He stated illnesses that may use medical cannabis include Cancer, Glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Tourette’s Syndrome, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, seizures and Epilepsy, muscle spasms and Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and terminal illness. He noted that the Commissioner of MDH can add other conditions. City of Blaine Page 3 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final March 5, 2015 Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Olson gave an overview of legalized cannabis and recreational marijuana in Seattle and Colorado. He noted the FDA has not approved medical cannabis and cannot examine it until it is removed from Schedule I. He stated Colorado legalized cannabis in 2000 and are now making changes to their code codified sections. He commented crimes due to legalization of marijuana include burglaries, transporting of funds, driving while impaired, black and gray markets, amateur extraction processes. Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Olson gave an overview of the options for the City: require a conditional use permit, allow only medical cannabis, Councilmember Herbst commented if the State legalized recreational marijuana there should be some lead time. Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Olson replied yes. Councilmember Hovland asked if any of Blaine’s officers have gone through training for medical cannabis. Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Olson replied none. He noted he is waiting to see if the training in other states is working. Councilmember Bourke stated he would prefer to have distribution centers be located in industrial zones. Councilmember King asked if the other states have added officers because of the legalized marijuana. Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Olson replied he did not know. Councilmember Herbst commented the City has plenty of time before a decision needs to be made. City Attorney Sweeney commented if a Conditional Use Permit is in place it would be easier for the City to place a moratorium on medical cannabis. Informational: no action required OTHER BUSINESS City Manager Arneson stated the Met Council is seeking comments on their proposed Housing Plan. ADJOURN The Workshop adjourned at 7:30 p.m. City of Blaine Page 4