By: Anna Ballweber
BAKER, Minn. (Valley News Live) – Clay County Commissioners have rejected a proposal allowing a longtime grain elevator in rural Baker, Minnesota to convert into a cannabis dispensary, siding with residents who raised concerns about traffic, safety and the character of their unincorporated community.
The elevator, at 11649 123rd Ave. S., about 15 miles southeast of Moorhead, has been the subject of multiple redevelopment ideas from owner and architect, Scott Dahms.
Over the years, Dahms has repurposed the elevator from a private home to an Airbnb before pursuing a state-licensed cannabis business at the site.
“The elevator helped define Baker’s identity. Structured, lawful investment is how that identity is retained, not lost,” Dahms said in front of Clay County Commissioners on March 3, 2026.
To move forward, Dahms needed Clay County to approve changes to its land-use rules. Under the proposal, the county would have reduced the required setback for cannabis-related businesses from 500 feet to 250 feet from nearby residences in agricultural zones.
The changes also would have cut the minimum commercial lot size for agricultural service centers from one acre to a half-acre.
The owner previously received preliminary approval from the state of Minnesota for a cannabis license in July but could not proceed without these county-level zoning changes.
“I have been a good neighbor, but this decision should ultimately rest on ordinance structure and planning consistencies, not personalities,” he said.
