Robert Celt
New Member
Frederick County Council members on Wednesday indicated that they supported the idea of letting farmers grow medical marijuana. Some members, though, didn't think proposed rules made that a practical option.
At a workshop, the council discussed a bill presented by Council Vice President M.C. Keegan-Ayer to allow medical cannabis to be grown in the county's agricultural districts. Growing cannabis for medical use is allowed in other districts already, if someone in Frederick County got one of the state's 15 regulated grower's licenses.
For marijuana to be grown in agricultural districts, Keegan-Ayer's bill would require the lot to be at least 25 acres, though the actual growing area could occur in a smaller space. Other conditions include:
Chmelik suggested requiring a security officer for no less than 100,000 square feet.
Keegan-Ayer's bill would require one for "barely a half-acre," he said. "It could be very constraining. ... You're going to have three armed guys walking around a really small area."
Keegan-Ayer incorporated the 1,000-foot distance from school properties after it came as a suggestion from the Frederick County Planning Commission. Commissioner Carole Jaar Sepe offered suggestions during the commission's discussion Feb. 10, but said the bill's language would make it difficult for the appeals board to decide about special-exception requests.
Shreve recommended Wednesday using state regulations to guide the use in an agricultural district and letting the zoning board add restrictions as it sees fit when special-exception applications are made.
"You don't need to put undue burdens on farmers," Shreve said.
Keegan-Ayer reminded council members that they may offer amendments when the official vote is taken. The council is scheduled to have a public hearing on the medical cannabis bill at 7 p.m. March 8.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: MD: Frederick County Reviews Options For Growing Medical Marijuana
Author: Patti Borda Mullins
Contact: Frederick News-Post
Photo Credit: Pinterest
Website: Frederick News-Post
At a workshop, the council discussed a bill presented by Council Vice President M.C. Keegan-Ayer to allow medical cannabis to be grown in the county's agricultural districts. Growing cannabis for medical use is allowed in other districts already, if someone in Frederick County got one of the state's 15 regulated grower's licenses.
For marijuana to be grown in agricultural districts, Keegan-Ayer's bill would require the lot to be at least 25 acres, though the actual growing area could occur in a smaller space. Other conditions include:
- The site has to be 1,000 feet away from a dwelling, and the lot line of any school, nursery school, day care center, or similar public or private facility.
- Light could not spill over onto neighboring property between dusk and dawn.
- The property would have to have one 24-hour security officer for every 25,000 square feet.
- The use would have to be approved as a special exception by the Frederick County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Chmelik suggested requiring a security officer for no less than 100,000 square feet.
Keegan-Ayer's bill would require one for "barely a half-acre," he said. "It could be very constraining. ... You're going to have three armed guys walking around a really small area."
Keegan-Ayer incorporated the 1,000-foot distance from school properties after it came as a suggestion from the Frederick County Planning Commission. Commissioner Carole Jaar Sepe offered suggestions during the commission's discussion Feb. 10, but said the bill's language would make it difficult for the appeals board to decide about special-exception requests.
Shreve recommended Wednesday using state regulations to guide the use in an agricultural district and letting the zoning board add restrictions as it sees fit when special-exception applications are made.
"You don't need to put undue burdens on farmers," Shreve said.
Keegan-Ayer reminded council members that they may offer amendments when the official vote is taken. The council is scheduled to have a public hearing on the medical cannabis bill at 7 p.m. March 8.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: MD: Frederick County Reviews Options For Growing Medical Marijuana
Author: Patti Borda Mullins
Contact: Frederick News-Post
Photo Credit: Pinterest
Website: Frederick News-Post
