Cannbis retailer approaches Hills, which sets ordiance

Hills City Council members unanimously supported a countywide ordinance on recreational marijuana at their meeting Tuesday night, Aug. 8.
At that same meeting South Dakota business owners voiced interest in starting a marijuana retail outlet, Dakota Herb, in Hills.
Dalton Grimmius and Dylan Stokes (a Luverne High School graduate) operate the business that cultivates, manufactures and dispenses medical marijuana in five locations in South Dakota.
The two inquired about purchasing commercial properties in response to Minnesota’s recent legalization of recreational marijuana.
“We wanted to stop and express interest in expanding our business across the state line from South Dakota into Minnesota,” Grimmius said.
“And Hills makes a ton of sense to us. My house is eight miles from here. It would be ideal.”
Hills Mayor Keith Elbers said Hills is looking at signing a countywide ordinance regulating the use of cannabis and cannabis-derived products in public places.
The ordinance would also stipulate setback requirements for dispensary permits.
“I don’t know any property in town that doesn’t fall within a 1,000-feet of a school property or public park,” Elbers said.
The first retail licenses won’t be valid until Jan. 1, 2025.
“We would like to get ahead of it so we know before we start buying property and then going through the building with permits … if someone is going to be friendly to our business or allow us to be here,” Grimmius said.
“We just want to get the trigger pulled as quickly as possible.”
Hills City Council members attended the July 25 countywide meeting between Rock County and its cities.
Each city supported a conservative, countywide approach to recreational marijuana use in public places.
The ordinance won’t be ready for public review and comment until commissioners unveil the document later this month.
“We don’t have any definite answers,” said Hills council member Stacen Burgers. “There’s no concrete answers for anyone at this time.”