Detroit Lakes City Council approves public-use restrictions on cannabis products

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Detroit Lakes City Council unanimously passed restrictions on the public consumption of cannabis products during a special meeting of the council on Monday ahead of the Aug. 1 implementation of the state’s new recreational cannabis law.

Kelcey Klemm, city administrator for Detroit Lakes, explained the city’s new public consumption restrictions were copied right out of the state’s new law under possible implementation by local governing bodies.

“Mayor and Council, this is the second reading of the ordinance that was given first reading during the July city council meeting,” said Klemm. “And it’s basically following through with what’s allowed in statute for local jurisdictions to prohibit consumption of cannabis and cannabis products in public. The statute defines what is considered public and we basically used that same definition in our ordinance. “

No Detroit Lakes residents or council members spoke for, or against, the measure during the meeting.

The council also passed a change to the city’s administrative fines ordinance to allow the penalty for violating the new cannabis public-use restrictions to be punishable as a petty misdemeanor with a $150 fine.

Under the new ordinance, cannabis-product consumption within the Detroit Lakes city limits is confined to private residences, including the yard of that property.

Consumption is also allowed on private property, not generally accessible to the public, as long as that person is allowed to have those products on their property.

Lastly, under the new city ordinance, cannabis consumption will be allowed at establishments or specially permitted events that allow for consumption on-site.

Councilmember Jay Deraney, alderman at-large for Detroit Lakes, was the only member absent and did not cast a vote.