Lake County Board Holds Public Meeting on Proposed Cannabis Ordinances

The Lake County Board of Commission­ers has been working on the particulars for the proposed cannabis ordinances that will govern the cultivation, sale and consumption of cannabis products in Lake County. At last week’s meeting the Board present­ed their proposals and gave the public a chance to weigh in on the issue. In reading through the document that was presented at last week’s meeting, it appears that the Board has produced a com­prehensive set of reg­ulations to cover the way the cannabis in­dustry will operate in Lake County.

The proposed ordi­nance will cover all ar­eas of the county where Lake County exercises planning and zoning authority. It does not cover areas where cit­ies or towns exercise those authorities. It should be noted that all licensing for can­nabis businesses will be issued by the State and not by the county. Anyone with a State license, who wishes to register a business in Lake County will need to make an application to the Lake County Health Department. There will be a process for handling applica­tions and so, vendors and cultivators will need to familiarize themselves with how those processes will work.

Any Cannabis busi­ness will be prohibited within 1000 feet of a school or 500 feet from a licensed day care, residential treatment facility or an attraction within a public park, playground or athletic field. People who are interested in setting up a cultivation business will need to obtain an interim use permit or a conditional use per­mit in accordance with Lake County’s Land Use Ordinance.

Folks who are in­terested in a summa­ry of the proposed ordinance can get an overview on line at the County website.

Janelle Jones, of Lovin’ Lake County, presented that organi­zation’s annual report for 2024 to the Board. Lovin’ Lake County staff work to promote local communities and develop tourism through marketing and events throughout the county. Their work en­hances both the local economy and impacts the quality of life for Lake County resi­dents. Their research on what attracts trav­elers to Lake County has shown that fam­ilies are prioritizing visits to scenic parks, multi-generational travel experiences and off-the-grid adven­tures as top attractions to the area.

Last June, Lo­vin’ lake County launched a market­ing campaign titled “Nature’s Rhythm, Center Stage”. The campaign features Minnesota’s own Em­my-award-winning singer/songwriter, Brian Leighton and combines his musical talent with some of the North Shore’s outdoor hot spots. Between June 11th and Decem­ber 4th of this year, the campaign’s landing page had 28,544 views which represents a 17.2% increase over the previous year. Marketing results on social media sites like Facebook and Insta­gram have also seen an increase in visits over last year. Lovin’ Lake County staff have set marketing strategy pri­orities for 2025 that will focus on expand­ing their marketing efforts to out-of-state areas and, since out­door recreation is the strongest visitation driver, they will con­tinue to promote recre­ational opportunities at our state parks, hiking trails and seasonal out­door events.

The next Lake Coun­ty Board meeting is scheduled for Decem­ber 31st at 2:00 PM in the Split Rock River Room in Two Harbors.