With the motion unanimously passed, the city staff will get to work hammering out specifics, including license application and renewal fees and any restrictions.
Jacob Schulte, the city’s economic development program manager, told council staff is proposing a limit of five dispensary licenses for the city, creating a self-regulating quota of one license per every 10,000 citizens.
Applications would operate through the economic development department with application and renewal fee that automatically renews annually on Jan. 1.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
State regulations say dispensaries can not be located 500 feet from any public parks, public playground, school or church, Schulte said.
“The vast majority of the business (locations) around Jacot Park, Breiel and Grand Avenue areas are pretty much out of reach (according to state regulations),” Schulte said.
He added that is also the case for Roosevelt Boulevard as well as much of the southern area of the city.
Monroe and Oxford regulated dispensaries from the state level like a pharmacy or retail business, Schulte said, meaning there was no local zoning or licensing but held them to state requirements. When those cities got to the level of dispensaries, they put on a moratorium.
“We (Middletown) are taking a first step in an amendment to the zoning code where those four marijuana business, being dispensaries, cultivators, processors and testing labs would be enshrined in our development code standards of permitted use, a specific section for those marijuana businesses and the related zoning districts,” Schulte said.
Tuesday night’s council consent sent the staff recommendations to the planning commission, and they will be sent back to council for approval. That process could take a couple months.
The prohibition and moratorium will be lifted if and when council repeals it after the zoning policies and procedures are in place for a “well-regulated and enforceable” marijuana businesses policy.
“The result is to just create policies and procedures for the businesses and protect the community’s interest,” Schulte said.
Ohio voters in November approved recreational marijuana possession and use in limited amounts.
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