Sauk Rapids Prepares For Uncle Hippies Cannabis Facility Review

SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- Plans for the first cannabis operation in Sauk Rapids are moving forward.

The Planning Commission will consider a Conditional Use Permit for Uncle Hippie's Cannabis during Monday night's meeting.

The operation will be in the old G&J Awning building, which the city owns. Uncle Hippies and the city have already agreed to lease the building, subject to the necessary local and state approvals.

The city is recommending a two-year review of the permit.

The city also wants conditions to include that the operation meet all federal and state air quality emissions standards, the operation cannot produce smells that are generally offensive to the neighbors in that area, and no insecticides or chemical fertilizers can be allowed without city approval.

The location will be used to grow, harvest, and prepare cannabis to be sold to dispensaries and/or production facilities.

All cannabis grown requires a state-mandated test for bacteria and mold pathogens. As a result, all rooms in the facility will be filtered and scrubbed to kill any pathogens, along with destroying any volatile organic compounds in the air.

The company describes itself as an environmentally friendly company that will grow the plants using LED lights in reusable fabric pots with local soil. It will be a water-only facility with no chemical fertilizers.

Pest control will be done using beneficial insects.

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The state requires it to be monitored 24/7, along with an electronic badge to enter.

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