Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Legislation being considered by City Council would welcome the testing, growing and manufacturing of medical marijuana, but prohibit dispensaries within the city.
An eight-page proposal to amend the city's development code has the support of Mayor William Judge's administration and the city's Planning Commission, which unanimously voted to ask for council's approval.
Council will give the first of three required readings to the ordinance at 7:30 p.m. Monday in council chambers at City Hall. A final vote isn't expected until Nov. 27, at the earliest. Because of the Planning Commission's support, it would take six of nine council votes to reject the proposal.
The city's six-member Board of Health, which was not required to weigh in on the matter, took the step of voting unanimously to recommend council approve the legislation.
Judge said he thought it unlikely that such a business would look to Barberton, since most major cities – including neighboring Akron – are opening their doors.
Still, Planning Director Joe Stefan told council Monday that the city gets "five or six" calls a week, mostly from real estate companies representing clients.
The city is ready for a conversation on the topic, Judge said.
"We understand it's a controversial issue, no matter which way you lean," he said.
Stefan said in making its argument, the city will stress that medical marijuana is a legal drug in Ohio, and that making room for drug manufacturers who extract cannabis oil from plants is far from growing buds for recreational use.
"No matter what happens with this, illegal drug activity is still going to be enforced by the police department. ... This in no way has anything to do with illegal drug activity. This has to do with a medical drug that has been approved by the state of Ohio," Stefan said.
At least one council member, however, said perception should be a consideration for a city that is known for having one of the highest rates of opioid overdoses in Summit County.
Nina Angeloff, Ward 2 councilwoman and chair of council's Planning Committee, said most folks she has talked to on the topic "just don't want it associated with Barberton."
"They say we don't need it. We just don't need it. We can find something else to generate the money, to generate jobs," Angeloff said.
Stefan and Judge said the legislation would prohibit sales because the city is uncomfortable with state language on who is allowed to dispense the drug, going beyond pharmacies and hospitals to storefront retailers.
Ward 1 Councilwoman Shannon Wokojance asked the administration how the city would benefit from having growers and processors.
"Any job, whether it's one or 100, is a job that's going to pay income tax to the city of Barberton," Stefan said. "Income tax is how we pay our bills.... We have vacant property, we have vacant buildings, and they produce zero income tax."
Stefan and Judge couldn't say how many jobs a medical marijuana plant might provide. Ohio has none and will only begin issuing licenses next month. Medical marijuana legislation was approved by the state in 2016.
Stefan added that it would be wrong to draw a correlation between the presence of a legal drug manufacturer in town with the rate of illegal drug abuse by the town's residents.
Barberton has a high rate of opioid abuse, yet there is no opioid company in Barberton, Stefan said.
Conversely, allowing a company to manufacture medical marijuana in the city would have no impact on the number of residents who qualify for medical marijuana prescriptions, he added.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Council considers legislation to test, grow, manufacture medical marijuana in Barberton
Author: Paula Schleis
Contact: Contact Us
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: Ohio.com | Akron Beacon Journal
An eight-page proposal to amend the city's development code has the support of Mayor William Judge's administration and the city's Planning Commission, which unanimously voted to ask for council's approval.
Council will give the first of three required readings to the ordinance at 7:30 p.m. Monday in council chambers at City Hall. A final vote isn't expected until Nov. 27, at the earliest. Because of the Planning Commission's support, it would take six of nine council votes to reject the proposal.
The city's six-member Board of Health, which was not required to weigh in on the matter, took the step of voting unanimously to recommend council approve the legislation.
Judge said he thought it unlikely that such a business would look to Barberton, since most major cities – including neighboring Akron – are opening their doors.
Still, Planning Director Joe Stefan told council Monday that the city gets "five or six" calls a week, mostly from real estate companies representing clients.
The city is ready for a conversation on the topic, Judge said.
"We understand it's a controversial issue, no matter which way you lean," he said.
Stefan said in making its argument, the city will stress that medical marijuana is a legal drug in Ohio, and that making room for drug manufacturers who extract cannabis oil from plants is far from growing buds for recreational use.
"No matter what happens with this, illegal drug activity is still going to be enforced by the police department. ... This in no way has anything to do with illegal drug activity. This has to do with a medical drug that has been approved by the state of Ohio," Stefan said.
At least one council member, however, said perception should be a consideration for a city that is known for having one of the highest rates of opioid overdoses in Summit County.
Nina Angeloff, Ward 2 councilwoman and chair of council's Planning Committee, said most folks she has talked to on the topic "just don't want it associated with Barberton."
"They say we don't need it. We just don't need it. We can find something else to generate the money, to generate jobs," Angeloff said.
Stefan and Judge said the legislation would prohibit sales because the city is uncomfortable with state language on who is allowed to dispense the drug, going beyond pharmacies and hospitals to storefront retailers.
Ward 1 Councilwoman Shannon Wokojance asked the administration how the city would benefit from having growers and processors.
"Any job, whether it's one or 100, is a job that's going to pay income tax to the city of Barberton," Stefan said. "Income tax is how we pay our bills.... We have vacant property, we have vacant buildings, and they produce zero income tax."
Stefan and Judge couldn't say how many jobs a medical marijuana plant might provide. Ohio has none and will only begin issuing licenses next month. Medical marijuana legislation was approved by the state in 2016.
Stefan added that it would be wrong to draw a correlation between the presence of a legal drug manufacturer in town with the rate of illegal drug abuse by the town's residents.
Barberton has a high rate of opioid abuse, yet there is no opioid company in Barberton, Stefan said.
Conversely, allowing a company to manufacture medical marijuana in the city would have no impact on the number of residents who qualify for medical marijuana prescriptions, he added.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Council considers legislation to test, grow, manufacture medical marijuana in Barberton
Author: Paula Schleis
Contact: Contact Us
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: Ohio.com | Akron Beacon Journal
