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Amidst the turmoil happening in Taylors Falls in the fall of 2022;  with the clerk in the throes of a prolonged departure, a breach of data investigation underway, uncertainty of anyone seeking re-election, and unpredictable staff loss—  Taylors Falls city council put a halt on hemp derived product sales,  that was totally forgotten.   The council adopted the moratorium for one year effective when it was published, as of August 2002.  This moratorium expires in August 2023, but there’s a related problem the mostly new council is wrestling with.  A business opened that appears to have happened in violation of the moratorium. 

A set of public hearings Aug 14 at city hall will hopefully address this.

While the halt was in effect, a hemp-derived products store opened in Taylors Falls.  These type of products were legal under state law but Taylors Falls had imposed a more restrictive ordinance.  Under this, even hemp derived salves, balms, lotions and edibles were being disallowed in the city for the year,  or until the council officially lifted the moratorium.  

The problem came to light when Taylors Falls began to tussle recently with new laws regulating THC containing products and marijuana flower, made recreationally legal as of August 1, 2023.

City officials now not only have newly legal mind altering substances to regulate, but the benign hemp items that were under a seperate 2022 moratorium need ordinance language.

The public hearing before planning commission members is at 5:30 p.m. August 14 and the city council follows afterward to act on planning commission advice at 7 p.m.  

Both hearings are to gather public input and draft ordinance language on the non-intoxicating hemp goods and their sale, and areas of the city this land use is to be allowed.  A related issue in the hearings, because possessing marijuana is now legal,   is  whether Taylors Falls is going to allow smoking/use of cannabis in town.

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