Robert Celt
New Member
Medical marijuana won't be allowed to grow in Frederick County's agricultural zones – yet.
Frederick County Council Vice President M.C. Keegan-Ayer pulled her bill that would have permitted medical cannabis to be grown in facilities in county agricultural zones, if the use had been approved as a special exception by the Frederick County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Keegan-Ayer said after Tuesday's County Council meeting she didn't have four votes among the seven council members to approve the bill. In early March, she told The Frederick News-Post she believed a majority of the council supported the legislation.
She said Tuesday that she was aware of concerns among some council members, but declined to elaborate what they were.
"In my opinion, they were not based on fact," Keegan-Ayer said of the concerns.
But she plans to reintroduce the bill in some form – hopefully by the council's April 19 meeting, she said. She would not provide details on how the bill might be altered, saying she needed to speak with county attorneys.
Councilman Billy Shreve at Tuesday's meeting called for further "research" on cannabis should the bill be presented again.
"I can tell you that this is going to come up again," Keegan-Ayer told him. "And I'd be more than happy to look at it."
In the audience of Tuesday's council meeting was Larry Gude, a Middletown farmer. Gude was among the nearly 150 people who applied to the state's Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission for a grower's license. The state will approve 15 of those applications this year.
Should the county decline to amend its zoning, Gude couldn't grow medical cannabis on his property.
Gude has said that the economic downturn has eroded his profits in recent years, and medical cannabis would serve as a boon for both his farm and the local economy.
Gude said he's heard "unfounded concerns" in his neighborhood about the aesthetics of his growing site – fencing and harsh lighting. He wants to better communicate how the security might look – actual photos of the fence, for instance.
Keegan-Ayer's bill would have mandated that artificial light not be visible from neighboring properties from dusk to dawn, with an armed security guard on-site at all times.
Gude said he understands the concerns of the agricultural community, whose representatives have made clear they don't consider marijuana a crop.
The Frederick County Farm Bureau's board of directors voted to oppose growing medical cannabis, as well as processing and dispensing it.
The Farm Bureau fretted about safety concerns, as well as the appearance of a prospective site – an "eyesore," Farm Bureau President Robert Ramsburg said in an interview in March.
Another opponent of the bill is Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, who has said he believes cannabis would attract crime.
If the County Council reintroduces the bill, it will be subject to the usual process under the county charter, including a public hearing before a final vote.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Current Version Of Frederick County Medical Marijuana Bill Hits Stone Wall
Author: Jeremy Bauer-Wolf
Contact: The Frederick News-Post
Photo Credit: Sam Yu
Website: The Frederick News-Post
Frederick County Council Vice President M.C. Keegan-Ayer pulled her bill that would have permitted medical cannabis to be grown in facilities in county agricultural zones, if the use had been approved as a special exception by the Frederick County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Keegan-Ayer said after Tuesday's County Council meeting she didn't have four votes among the seven council members to approve the bill. In early March, she told The Frederick News-Post she believed a majority of the council supported the legislation.
She said Tuesday that she was aware of concerns among some council members, but declined to elaborate what they were.
"In my opinion, they were not based on fact," Keegan-Ayer said of the concerns.
But she plans to reintroduce the bill in some form – hopefully by the council's April 19 meeting, she said. She would not provide details on how the bill might be altered, saying she needed to speak with county attorneys.
Councilman Billy Shreve at Tuesday's meeting called for further "research" on cannabis should the bill be presented again.
"I can tell you that this is going to come up again," Keegan-Ayer told him. "And I'd be more than happy to look at it."
In the audience of Tuesday's council meeting was Larry Gude, a Middletown farmer. Gude was among the nearly 150 people who applied to the state's Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission for a grower's license. The state will approve 15 of those applications this year.
Should the county decline to amend its zoning, Gude couldn't grow medical cannabis on his property.
Gude has said that the economic downturn has eroded his profits in recent years, and medical cannabis would serve as a boon for both his farm and the local economy.
Gude said he's heard "unfounded concerns" in his neighborhood about the aesthetics of his growing site – fencing and harsh lighting. He wants to better communicate how the security might look – actual photos of the fence, for instance.
Keegan-Ayer's bill would have mandated that artificial light not be visible from neighboring properties from dusk to dawn, with an armed security guard on-site at all times.
Gude said he understands the concerns of the agricultural community, whose representatives have made clear they don't consider marijuana a crop.
The Frederick County Farm Bureau's board of directors voted to oppose growing medical cannabis, as well as processing and dispensing it.
The Farm Bureau fretted about safety concerns, as well as the appearance of a prospective site – an "eyesore," Farm Bureau President Robert Ramsburg said in an interview in March.
Another opponent of the bill is Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, who has said he believes cannabis would attract crime.
If the County Council reintroduces the bill, it will be subject to the usual process under the county charter, including a public hearing before a final vote.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Current Version Of Frederick County Medical Marijuana Bill Hits Stone Wall
Author: Jeremy Bauer-Wolf
Contact: The Frederick News-Post
Photo Credit: Sam Yu
Website: The Frederick News-Post
