Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Port Clinton - The temporary ban on medical marijuana-related businesses inside the city of Port Clinton was made official this week.
During their regular meeting Tuesday, Port Clinton city council members unanimously passed a six-month moratorium on the cultivation, processing, distribution or retail sale of medical marijuana within city limits.
City officials began looking into the possibility of a moratorium earlier this year when concerns were raised to council after the new Ohio law legalizing medical marijuana took effect in September, which state lawmakers are still working to implement.
Port Clinton law director George Wilber began drafting the moratorium in early October and it passed following its third reading Tuesday.
The planning and development committee, comprising council members Gabe Below, Roseann Hickman and Joel Freedman, unanimously recommended adopting the ordinance.
Below, chair of the committee, said chief zoning inspector Kent Johnson found the moratorium to be worthwhile.
The ordinance specifically restricts the granting of any zoning permit, building permit, certificate of occupancy or any other permit to medical marijuana business. Additionally, existing businesses are also prohibited from expanding into medical marijuana while the moratorium is in effect.
"Something we consider going forward – not to ban (medical marijuana businesses) forever, but just to take a thoughtful approach," Below said. "There are still some state regulatory action that needs to take place."
City council members also unanimously approved a motion to direct the planning and development committee to provide council recommendations for any new zoning and planning legislation regarding medical marijuana by April 1, 2017.
"(Johnson) thought April 1 was aggressive but something doable," Below said. "So that way, when six months would expire, we would be prepared and we could have anything in place that we would want to see enacted."
Below described it as a "proactive" approach to avoid the potential future need for continually extending the moratorium.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Port Clinton Passes Medical Marijuana Moratorium
Author: Jon Stinchcomb
Contact: 419-332-5511
Photo Credit: Getty images
Website: News Herald
During their regular meeting Tuesday, Port Clinton city council members unanimously passed a six-month moratorium on the cultivation, processing, distribution or retail sale of medical marijuana within city limits.
City officials began looking into the possibility of a moratorium earlier this year when concerns were raised to council after the new Ohio law legalizing medical marijuana took effect in September, which state lawmakers are still working to implement.
Port Clinton law director George Wilber began drafting the moratorium in early October and it passed following its third reading Tuesday.
The planning and development committee, comprising council members Gabe Below, Roseann Hickman and Joel Freedman, unanimously recommended adopting the ordinance.
Below, chair of the committee, said chief zoning inspector Kent Johnson found the moratorium to be worthwhile.
The ordinance specifically restricts the granting of any zoning permit, building permit, certificate of occupancy or any other permit to medical marijuana business. Additionally, existing businesses are also prohibited from expanding into medical marijuana while the moratorium is in effect.
"Something we consider going forward – not to ban (medical marijuana businesses) forever, but just to take a thoughtful approach," Below said. "There are still some state regulatory action that needs to take place."
City council members also unanimously approved a motion to direct the planning and development committee to provide council recommendations for any new zoning and planning legislation regarding medical marijuana by April 1, 2017.
"(Johnson) thought April 1 was aggressive but something doable," Below said. "So that way, when six months would expire, we would be prepared and we could have anything in place that we would want to see enacted."
Below described it as a "proactive" approach to avoid the potential future need for continually extending the moratorium.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Port Clinton Passes Medical Marijuana Moratorium
Author: Jon Stinchcomb
Contact: 419-332-5511
Photo Credit: Getty images
Website: News Herald
