Minneapolis, MN Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- School buffer
- 300 feet from K-12 school
- Site requirement
- 3-acre contiguous commercial/industrial area
- Allowed districts
- CM1-CM4, DT1, DT2 (permitted use)
- Entrance rule
- No shared entrance with non-cannabis use
- Separate requirement
- City retail registration under Ch. 355
Summary
Minneapolis restricts cannabis dispensaries to a contiguous three-acre commercial or industrial area, at least 300 feet from any K-12 school, under the zoning code's specific use standards.
The use shall be located at least three hundred (300) feet from a school, grades K-12. The use shall be located within a contiguous commercial or industrial area of at least three (3) acres. The minimum acreage required shall be comprised of contiguous zoning districts where a dispensary is a permitted principal use. The use shall not share a common entrance with any use that is not a cannabis business.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
Cannabis dispensaries are a permitted principal use in Minneapolis's commercial mixed-use and downtown zoning districts (CM1 through CM4, DT1, DT2), but Chapter 545's use standards add real siting limits: the site must sit within a contiguous commercial or industrial area of at least three acres made up of districts where a dispensary is a permitted principal use, and stay at least 300 feet from any K-12 school. A dispensary can't share an entrance with a non-cannabis business and needs an approved odor-control and air-filtration plan before opening. Every retailer must also separately register with the city's licensing official under Chapter 355 before making retail sales.
Violations & Fines
Violating the distance, acreage, or shared-entrance standards is a zoning code violation; the city can deny or revoke the zoning permit and the Chapter 355 cannabis retail registration required to sell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a cannabis dispensary open next to a Minneapolis school?
What zoning districts allow cannabis dispensaries in Minneapolis?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minneapolis
Compare Minneapolis to another location·View the Minnesota cannabis regulations overview
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