ROCHESTER — Olmsted County commissioners are set to take public feedback Tuesday on a proposed ban on public cannabis use .
Largely mirroring the county’s ban on public smoking and modeled after comparable ordinances in different counties, the proposed hashish restriction would prohibit marijuana smoking and vaping in public locations, together with companies, bars and eating places.
A public listening to on the proposed ban might be held through the commissioners’ common assembly at 10 a.m. Tuesday within the board chambers of the city-county Authorities Middle.
The proposed restriction on hashish use in public areas seeks to deal with a grey space in state laws that permitted leisure hashish use by folks 21 and older earlier this yr.
“(The state lawmakers) principally mentioned, ‘we’re not going to ban it in public locations, however native items of presidency, if you wish to step into this area and create some guidelines, you’re free to try this,’” Senior Assistant Olmsted County Legal professional Tom Canan mentioned.
The ban seeks to cowl areas the place the general public and minors would doubtlessly be uncovered to smoke and vapor linked to hashish use.
State legislation restricts use in federally supported housing, nevertheless it presently lets property homeowners resolve whether or not to permit hashish use in multi-family housing complexes, so long as the smoke can’t be inhaled by somebody below 21 years outdated.
The allowance, nonetheless, is slated to run out on March 1, 2025, when state legislation is poised to ban hashish use in all multi-family complexes.
County commissioners debated whether or not to limit use in all condo complexes forward of the state restriction, however the majority decided the proposed native ordinance would comply with state pointers.
Canan mentioned he had some considerations concerning the potential of enacting a ban in all multi-family housing early, declaring it was unclear whether or not it will be challenged in court docket.
If the county commissioners approve the ordinance, it will finally cowl the county, until particular cities or townships choose out of the proposed ban.
Canan mentioned it’s too early to say whether or not Rochester or different native authorities our bodies will search to cross their very own ordinances.
“In all honesty, just about all of the native governments in Olmsted County are watching the county to see what the end result of that is going to be,” he mentioned. “Then, they are going to make a willpower on whether or not they are going to take their very own steps to go one other approach or not.”
Following the general public listening to, commissioners might be requested to vote on the proposed ban, however they might choose to attend or counsel adjustments earlier than taking motion.
The proposal is only one of a number of coverage selections the commissioners are anticipated to deal with because the state continues to roll out quite a lot of insurance policies and pointers associated to the laws handed earlier this yr, making Minnesota the twenty third state to permit leisure use of hashish.
Future coverage discussions are anticipated to incorporate a possible restrict to the variety of companies allowed to promote hashish within the county and potential registration charges for companies, in addition to the potential for including edible hashish to the general public use ban.
Randy Petersen joined the Publish Bulletin in 2014 and have become the native authorities reporter in 2017. An Elkton native, he is labored for quite a lot of Midwest papers as reporter, photographer and editor since graduating from Winona State College in 1996. Readers can attain Randy at 507-285-7709 or [email protected].
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