The Mower County Board of Commissioners, during its meeting Tuesday morning, unanimously approved the county’s new cannabis ordinance which will regulate zoning, use and prohibitions in the county.

Broadly speaking, the ordinance governs three primary areas: number of registrations, setbacks to protected uses and zoning restrictions and business activity.

During a presentation to the board Tuesday, Assistant Public Works Director Val Sheedy said in keeping to the state’s regulated one retail business for every 12,500 people, the county can have at minimum of four retail businesses.

That encompasses Austin, but comes with something of a twist. Austin, given its population density can have at minimum three retail businesses, however, if the city grants four or more, then Mower County no longer has an obligation to grant any registrations.

Meanwhile, if four retail businesses register in greater Mower County, an additional three can register in Austin with a possibility of seven total retail locations in the county.

“It depends on who gets there first,” Sheedy said.

This limit does not apply, however, to other cannabis related businesses including grow operations.

The ordinance also details setback requirements for potential retail businesses.

While the state allows for a maximum setback from schools of 1,000 feet and 500 feet for businesses like a day care facility, residential treatment facility or public park regularly used by minors, the county’s ordinance opts for a flat 500-foot setback in all areas.

Sheedy said this decision falls in line with how the county approached those areas it is able to dictate outside of state regulations.

“Our ordinance is on the conservative side of all the standards,” she said.

The conservative approach has also applied to hours of operation for retail sales of between 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, which falls within the state parameters that states government units must allow for opening between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and closing between 9 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Going hand-in-hand with the approval of the ordinance was a pair of other resolutions that included an amendment to modify zoning district land uses in accordance with the cannabis ordinance as well as a joint powers agreement with townships and cities in Mower County that puts the regulation and registration of cannabis businesses in the county’s hands.

Sheedy said that so far 15 of the 20 townships have signed on with more possibly following suit along with the small towns in the county.

However, Grand Meadow is opting to look at creating their own ordinance because the 500 foot setback of the counties would create a conflict with their business district, though, Grand Meadow could still decide to join the agreement if it suits them.

The ordinance will go into effect on Jan. 1 with more work to follow in 2025 when the county looks at creating a large event ordinance.

“Which will touch on a number of issues in the zoning world, but will also help us specifically address a cannabis event should we get some,” Sheedy said.

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