Several Bemidji residents have voiced their concerns over the last few weeks with the location of what could be the first cannabis dispensary within Bemidji city limits.

Due to some confusion about the language used in Minnesota cannabis buffer zone regulations, the Bemidji Planning Commission tabled their hearing in December with First City Cannabis to approve them for an interim use permit. Because the proposed location on Washington Avenue S is very close to a daycare, Kandiland Learning Center, as well as the Gym Bin, a youth gymnasium facility, the commission tabled their decision until Thursday’s meeting to clarify where building measurements should begin.

“I did some research on some other cities within Minnesota on cannabis ordinances,” said Don Heinonen, chair of the Bemidji Planning Commission Chair, during the meeting. “The City of Otsego, Shorewood, and Yellow Medicine County determines their buffer zone from the outside wall of the cannabis building to the property line of a buffered—whether it be a school or a daycare. Some, like Aitkin County and Beltrami County, actually do it from property line to property line. State statute has not—it’s said it’s up to the local entities to determine that buffer zone and how it’s measured.”

But commissioners still disagreed on whether to approve the permit based on their findings. If you measure from the building of the proposed dispensary to the building of the nearby Kandiland Learning Center, the measurements well exceed the 500 ft. buffer requirement. But going from property line to property line measures out to 453 ft., which would fall into the buffer zone.

“I’ve been doing real estate for 25 years; every single project has a property line,” said Planning Commission member John Peterson. “I’ve talked to many brokers in the area about it and real estate [agents]. They never use anything else [for measuring] but property lines, and I just don’t think it should be approved for that location.”

Some commissioners felt that due to the unclear language used in Minnesota cannabis statutes, the Planning Commission had no reason to deny First City Cannabis’s permit.

“We’re kind of relying on a lot of gray areas when things, as currently written and as set up, are more black and white,” said commissioner Michael Meehlhause. “As of right now, we can’t—I don’t think it’s right to make a decision on, based on our state legislators comments, changes that might happen.”

The commissioners ended up voting 3-3 to deny the permit for the proposed dispensary. Because the vote was split, that decision is now pushed to the Bemidji Planning Board.

“It could have gone worse,” admitted Julie Canty, First City Cannabis owner and operator, after the meeting. “I’m eternally optimistic. I believe that this is a very reputable business that the community needs and deserves. I also believe that adult activities and youth activities coexist in our community. And I’m doing everything the legal way, I’m following all regulations to get what I believe that we could use in our community.”

The Bemidji Planning Board’s next meeting on Feb. 9 will determine if First City Cannabis is approved for an interim use permit.

In other business at the meeting, member Michael Meehlhause was nominated as the Bemidji Planning Commission chair for 2026 and commissioner Tim Faver was nominated as vice chair.