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Lindstrom has joined the list of cities banning any processing, or submittal, of applications for cannabis related businesses. Council voted 5-0 October 19 for a temporary moratorium.  The halt gives the city time to review business regulations and develop operations standards for retail sales, manufacture and even for profit cultivation, of cannabis.  

Soren Mattick, city attorney, advised the city council that this action is not taking away any rights.  People are still lawfully allowed to possess cannabis and grow a small number of plants at home for personal use as recent state law enactment authorizes.  

The State of Minnesota won’t have a business licensure system in place before at least 2025;  so in the meantime this moratorium lets everybody know Lindstrom is studying future code.  

One person spoke during the public hearing on the ordinance creating the moratorium.  He simply advised that cannabis is a real thing, with real revenue potential attached and the city needs to be realistic about addressing it. 

In another matter— a number of Lindstrom residents from a neighborhood located nearby a proposed rezoning,  successfully argued their case and were cheerful exiting the city council chambers after a vote to deny the rezoning took place.

The properties are on the South Lindstrom Lake side of Hwy. 8, on Lindstrom Lane, as you enter the city from the west.  

The applicant/owner resides in one of the properties and acknowledged that in the future he’d create a multi-family use on a second vacant lot— if council would make them R-2 rather than R-1.

Council member Brian Norelius commented that Lindstrom has many R-2 parcels and he couldn’t see any special need to change single family to R-2.  He suggested the applicant should have known the zoning when he bought the sites and said it’s important to do your land use homework.  After viewing the map of the city and the shaded areas depicting R-2, Norelius added the city planning commission might need to “take another look” and make sure it has the right zoning in the right place.  He was surprised at how much of the city contains R-2 parcels.

Neighbors,  who were pretty much reciting 306th Street addresses;  wanted council to deny the zone increase in density, saying roads aren’t suited for added traffic, unwanted increased garbage hauling, noise, intrusive lighting, and other incompatible multi-family nuisances.

As a formality, council will act officially on adopting legal “findings” supporting the denial at the November city council meeting. 

 In other business:  

The old O’Jay Juice bottling facility, just west of  the Akerson light  is no longer on the redevelopment to-do list.  

Council voted to have staff return a $200,000 state grant tied to a no longer feasible demo and site prep plan,  and to rescind an agreement on purchasing the approximately two acre parcel.

Mayor Judy Chartrand commented there’s been “some pretty serious miscommunication on this” as far as potential and price.  This was a campaign issue for her contesting the city’s role 

City Administrator Dan Undem explained the purchase agreement has been “circulated but not signed.”

Owner of record listed on the county property website is Larry Merhiy. The 2023 valuation is $244,300.

The package to facilitate the city getting the parcel “shovel ready” involved Lindstrom contributing $200,000, plus receipt of a $300,000 Chisago County loan and the state also awarded a $200,000 grant to Lindstrom based on re-use and local economic enhancement.

City Administrator Undem explained that the clock is ticking to a 2027 deadline for using the state funds and successfully meeting job and tax creation goals —or returning the $200,000 and Lindstrom having space to breathe starting the clock over.

Undem advised the city needs to get away from an “ownership” role in this site.  Lindstrom still wants to see this blighted location abated but through a different process. Undem added the state expects no negative outfall from returning this grant.  Lindstrom can re-apply later with no black marks.

In a related issue, city Economic Development Authority member Greg Shaleen has submitted his resignation.  There are two vacant slots now, but one candidate interviewed earlier will be asked to consider re-applying.

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