Hennepin County, MN Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- School buffer
- 350 feet, property line to line
- Also covers
- Day cares, treatment facilities, playgrounds
- Effect
- Registration denied inside buffer
- Applies to
- Cities deferring authority to county
Summary
Hennepin County denies cannabis retailer registrations within 350 feet of a school, day care, residential treatment facility, or park area used by minors.
No registration will be issued to a Cannabis Retailer located within [350] feet of a school as measured by the shortest line from the property line of the space to be occupied by the Cannabis Retailer to the nearest property line of a school.
(2) No registration will be issued to a Cannabis Retailer located within [350] feet of a day care, residential treatment facility, or an attraction within a public park that is regularly used by minors, including a playground or athletic field, as measured by the shortest line from the property line of the space to be occupied by the Cannabis Retailer to the nearest property line of a daycare, residential treatment facility, or attraction within a public park that is regularly used by minors.
(D) Cannabis Retailer hours of operation Sales of Approved Products and Medical Cannabinoid Products at a Cannabis Retailer are only allowed between the hours of 10AM and 10PM, and Cannabis Retailers may not be open to the public or Sell or offer to Sell any other products at times when the Cannabis Retailer is prohibited from selling Approved Products or Medical Cannabinoid Products.
Full Breakdown
Section IX(C) of the Cannabis and Lower-Potency Hemp Edibles Ordinance bars registration for any Cannabis Retailer sited within 350 feet of a school, measured property line to property line. A second clause in the same subsection applies the identical 350-foot buffer to day cares, residential treatment facilities, and park attractions regularly used by minors such as playgrounds or athletic fields, again measured from the retailer's property line to the nearest property line of the protected use.
Violations & Fines
Registration is flatly denied for any proposed retail site inside the 350-foot buffer; the ordinance describes no variance or waiver process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a Hennepin County cannabis retailer be from a school?
Do the buffer rules also cover parks and day cares?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hennepin County
Compare Hennepin County to another location·View the Minnesota cannabis regulations overview
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