Bemidji Planning Board Approves First City Cannabis Interim Use Permit 6-1

The Bemidji Planning Board voted 6-1 Monday to grant an interim use permit for First City Cannabis, clearing the way for a cannabis retail dispensary to operate at 920 Washington Ave. S under a one-year permit with multiple conditions. The decision marks the first approved cannabis business within city limits and sets a process for midterm compliance review and possible revocation.

Applicant Julie Canty proposed to lease the south-side facility for a dispensary that city staff reviewed for more than a year. The board attached numerous conditions to the permit; Planning Board Chair Lynn Eaton summarized the board's view: "Based on our findings of fact, there are no red flags," and added, "It meets all five criteria, we got nine conditions that we're going to be putting on this, and as board member [Mark] Dickinson said, I have a hard time trying to find a way to deny this application." The motion did not require a mandatory follow-up meeting with Canty, though the permit can be reviewed after six months for compliance and may be revoked for verified violations of permit conditions or law.

Distance and buffer questions dominated public comment and board debate. The proposed site sits within about 450 feet of the Gym Bin property line, roughly 500 feet from the Gym Bin building, and approximately 600 feet from the nearest licensed child care center. Gym Bin is a youth gymnastics studio that partners with Bemidji Area Schools, but it does not meet the ordinance categories that trigger automatic buffer protections. Minnesota law requires cannabis businesses to be at least 500 feet from daycare facilities; city code establishes buffers around day cares, schools, park attractions and residential treatment facilities, and prohibits drive-thru sales and vending machines. City code also requires an operating plan and state licensing before operations begin.

Board member Emelie Rivera framed the local debate around ordinance interpretation and economic impact, saying, "What we're here to do, from what I read, is to assess whether it's reasonable to interpret the ordinance as it's written. (There are) safety concerns that people brought up, but I haven't heard any statistics behind it. ... This is going to bring dollars, and so that's important." Rivera also stressed the age-restricted nature of the business: "It's all for the sale of a product that is designed for people 21 and older. Kids can enter liquor stores. Kids can enter tobacco stores. They aren't going to be able to enter this." The planning board emphasized security systems and a strict 21-year-old age limit among the conditions.

The interim use permit runs for one year and will be up for renewal in 2027. Before opening, First City Cannabis must obtain required state approvals from the Office of Cannabis Management and any city registrations. The permit includes enforcement language that allows the city to revoke operations for noncompliance, and the board set a six-month compliance check to ensure conditions are met. For Bemidji residents, the decision means a new downtown-adjacent business and renewed focus on how local rules and measurement methods govern sensitive uses near youth-oriented facilities. The coming months will show how First City Cannabis meets the permit conditions and whether ordinance language on buffers prompts further city review.