A first reading of an ordinance amendments that will allow the sale of CBD products at on-sale and off-sale liquor establishments was approved as part of the Hastings City Council’s unanimous consent agenda Monday night.

The amendments now move to a final reading and passage at the Dec. 18 meeting.

Since the state legalized marijuana effective Aug. 1, municipalities are still waiting for state guidance on ordinances. Until that time, the ordinances the city council passed in the spring remain in effect. Those ordinances require businesses that want to sell the CBD products be licensed.

“While the new state legislation allows the use of adult use cannabis, it does not authorize the sale, so until the Office of Cannabis Management has a process to license any adult use cannabis or CBD businesses and model ordinances are prepared, the City’s current ordinances for CBD products are still valid. Any on-sale or off-sale liquor establishment who want to sell CBD products will need a license from the city to do so. As soon as model ordinances are proposed, we will introduce additional revisions to the existing ordinances to comply with the state regulations,” a memo from City Attorney Korine Land states.

The city licensing and zoning ordinances pertaining to CBD products allow for the sale at licensed businesses in certain zoning districts. The CBD products must contain less than 0.3% THC. The ordinances passed by the city in the spring didn’t allow CBD products to be sold at liquor establishments.

The city’s Planning Commission held a public hearing with no one in attendance on the zoning ordinance changes in November and recommended approval to the council.

New scoreboards

The City of Hastings Community Investment fund will help bring new scoreboards to two Veterans Park softball fields.

The last two years, the city has set aside $100,000 in its annual budget for partnerships with community organizations developing projects in city parks.

“Projects should be community-supported public amenities,” according to the city.

In the first years, funding has gone toward Hastings Hawks initiatives in Veterans Parks, as well as public art installations.

The city’s Community Investment fund had a balance of $27,324.25 remaining in it. The city council’s finance committee looked at three proposals Nov. 27 and recommended for council approval one from the Hastings Youth Athletic Association. The city council approved a committee recommendation Monday to allocate all remaining funding to the HYAA, which will then provide a $10,000 match to pay for the two scoreboards.

Garbage fee increase

Residential garbage collection will increase $1.20 per household per month under new rates approved by the council with Tennis Sanitation.

City Administrator Dan Wietecha told the council that the rate increases were due to increased tipping costs, increasing fuel and operation costs and the decline in recycling markets. The compost program cost will also increase $5 per household, with no increase for “per bag” compost or the yard waste compost drop-off site.

The rates increased $1 month for residential service last year, with a $10 annual compost program increase, and a $1 per bag increase for “per bag” compost.