MARSHALL — Lyon County commissioners approved new ordinances regulating cannabis businesses after a public hearing Tuesday morning.

The ordinances set ground rules for cannabis business registration and legal enforcement — but county staff said those rules could still change as the state of Minnesota develops its cannabis regulation.

“Keep in mind that this will probably be an evolving document as time goes on,” said Lyon County Planning and Zoning Administrator John Biren.

Biren anticipated the county ordinance will go into effect Jan. 1.

No members of the public commented at the hearing but Biren and County Attorney Abby Wikelius did go over the highlights of the proposed new ordinances.

Wikelius said the proposal made use of model ordinance language drafted by the Office of Cannabis Management.

The ordinance lays out definitions for the different types of cannabis businesses allowed under state law, and requires licensed cannabis businesses to register with the county. The number of cannabis retail licenses in the county would be limited to the minimum required by the state.

“That’s one registration for 12,500 people,” Biren said.

Based on Lyon County’s current population, the registration limit would be two.

Other rules for cannabis retailers outlined in the proposed ordinance included yearly compliance checks, and limits on where cannabis businesses can be located. For example, cannabis retailers couldn’t open up too close to schools or child care providers.

“In particular, we talked about 1,000 feet from K-12 schools, and 500 feet from daycares,” Biren said. “And we’re going to zone these (businesses) to highway commercial districts within the county, and similar type districts within cities and townships that delegate their authority to us.”

Cities and townships within Lyon County have the option to delegate the authority of regulating cannabis businesses to the county.

“We’ve been going to the local cities and asking if they want to delegate or not,” Biren said. “At this time, Tracy, Balaton, Florence and Russell have said yes. Garvin, Ghent and Minneota have said that they wanted to see what we did today, and I anticipate that those (cities) will come forward with delegation agreements.”

Biren said he had not yet had a chance to meet with the Taunton City Council.

“And it’s been indicated to us that Cottonwood and Marshall are going to do their own thing, and will have their own ordinance,: he said.

So far, about half the townships in Lyon County had said they would delegate cannabis regulatory authority to the county, Biren said.

He was anticipating more responses would arrive in the mail.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the new ordinances.