Legislative & Ordinance Committee

CITY OF MARSHALL LEGISLATIVE & ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, August 19, 2025 MEMBERS PRESENT: James Lozinski, See Moua-Leske and Amanda Schwartz (remote) MEMBERS ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: Sharon Hanson, City Administrator; Ilya Gutman, Plans Examiner; and Steven Anderson, City Clerk. OTHERS PRESENT: None. At 8:30 AM Chair Lozinski called the meeting to order. Consider Approval of the Minutes Motion made by Moua-Leske, seconded by Schwartz to approve the minutes as presented. All voted in favor. Cannabis Retail Store Buffer Zone Discussion Anderson provided background. The City of Marshall under Ordinance 24-012 required that a cannabis business cannot be placed within 500 feet from a school when measured from the center of the primary building. Based on the city zoning map many public parks, the exception being Memorial Park, that had attractions regularly used by minors would not be anywhere near the allowed zoning districts for cannabis businesses. As such, the Legislative and Ordinance Committee felt that it was unnecessary to place additional restrictions. With the aquatic center construction well underway there was now a concern with the B-3 General Business District immediately across the street from the new pool site and the public perception of having a cannabis dispensary next to a highly popular area that would be regularly used by minors. A comparison of cities within Minnesota that varied from 1,100 – 53,000 in population was shown. Most of the cities throughout the state established the maximum buffer limits that were set by state statutes. Marshall was one of the few cities that had very little restrictions in place. Lozinski expressed his dislike for government overreach and didn’t want to have additional restrictions in place. Anderson mentioned that two retail licenses have been submitted and are pending approval but neither retail location would be located near the pool. But this ordinance amendment would still be recommended if the retail cap for cannabis retail was ever increased. Moua-Leske and Schwartz didn’t want the public perception of having a cannabis store across from the pool and having families be deterred from attending the aquatic center. Members looked at the various businesses that would be impacted from a 500ft buffer from parks. Lozinski suggested a compromise by only restricting the distance from the pool and reducing the distance to 200ft. Motion made by Lozinski, seconded by Moua-Leske that cannabis retail businesses must be at least 200 feet from the perimeter of the aquatic center. Anderson also requested that the new lower potency hemp edible wholesaler license type that was added by the Office of Cannabis Management be added to the same sections as an allowed use in the same zoning districts as cannabis wholesalers. Motion made by Lozinski, seconded by Schwartz to add lower potency hemp edible wholesaler as an allowed use in the B3, I1, and I2 zoning districts. Adjournment Motion by Schwartz, seconded by Moua-Leske to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor. Respectfully submitted, Steven Anderson City Clerk