Eight Hamilton residents and business owners spoke to express their support or dissent for the zoning ordinance.
“A preemptive ban is redundant. If the proposed changes to make marijuana legal do not make it to the ballot, this ban is for nothing. If they do make it to the ballot, and fail to garner enough votes to pass, this ban is for nothing. If they do make it to the ballot and do indeed pass, this ban is also for nothing,” said Hamilton resident Nick Turner.
“I just want to say for the record, that I cannot support legislation that limits our citizens or not afford them the opportunity to receive the necessary treatment that they may need or to make them physically better,” Johnson said.
Councilman Robert Brown said that he was supporting the current ban because it did not include a proper system for how medical marijuana would be regulated, such as in a controlled facility.
“This language does not have anything in it as to how it can be done, so at this point, I am for it (the ban),” he said.
Council held a public hearing and first reading of the ordinance at its Feb. 11 meeting, and heard a second reading of the ordinance ahead of the vote Wednesday night.