Council Approves Marijuana Retailer Moratorium and Athletic Complex Improvements

(KNSI) – The St. Cloud City Council held a public hearing on a moratorium for licensing new marijuana retailers until January 1st, 2025.

The pause will remain in effect throughout next year unless the council moves to repeal it early. The moratorium gives the city a chance to wait and see what regulations the new Office of Cannabis Management intends to develop once it is up and running.

The city says there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding the law that was passed at the capitol during the last legislative session. In the meantime, St. Cloud hopes to do a study to look at the appropriate time, place, and manner of operation for cannabis businesses.

The measure passed unanimously. No members of the public spoke when given a chance by Council President Jeff Goerger.

In the consent agenda portion of the meeting, $170,000 in emergency repairs for the Municipal Athletic Complex were approved at Monday’s meeting. The funding comes from local use sales tax revenue. Improvements are needed in the ice arena and the ballfields.

The most expensive changes will occur at Joe Faber Field, home of the St. Cloud Rox. The city intends to spend $60,000 to add a lift in the general admission area to make the space ADA compliant and new railings will cost another $26,000. Inside the Torrey Ice Arena, four refrigeration compressors need to be replaced at a cost of $40,000. The main arena requires $15,000 in compressor repair.

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