Revising the original cannabis ordinance created over a year ago has been a process with many iterations, Lake County administrator Matt Huddleston stated at the county board meeting on March 24.
Commissioners have “learned more about cannabis than I ever thought I would,” according to comments during the discussion.
Chief amongst the learnings was the need to separate low-potency edibles from “adult” hemp products, and the expansion of opportunities for microbusinesses to apply for a c onditional u se permit for cultivating and processing cannabis using non-volatile solvents in certain areas.
Commissioners stood firm on the original retail limit, however, which remains at one venue per 12,500 residents, and no retail to be considered in residential areas.
Huddleston noted that the advertised public comment meeting drew no comments on the record. Final approval of the ordinance passed at the end of the meeting.
Recent land auctions over tax-forfeited land drew surprisingly high prices, according to land commissioner Nate Eide. Several 40-acre parcels were sold.
With the Minnesota Tax Forfeiture settlement, former owners can now submit claims to retrieve proceeds from tax-forfeited land sales, minus the taxes forfeit to the county.
It is unknown how many of these claims are being brought forth in the new system. The period for land owners to retrieve proceeds from before the law was changed closed in June 2025, and the state is currently processing the claims.
Meantime, Lake County is now compelled to put the parcels up for sale, even if they are surrounded by county land and have no public access.
It remains to be seen what new property owners will want to do with their land, and whether they will soon be petitioning for cartways to access it.
