Council can vote on the emergency legislation at its next meeting in two weeks, he said.
Acting City Manager Kacey Waggaman, filing in after William “Bill” Brock resigned, said two weeks probably isn’t enough time for a marijuana business to be licensed by the state.
Council member Michael Graves has been the most vocal on council about limiting the number of businesses in the city. At a previous meeting, he said he was concerned Monroe could become the “Las Vegas strip of weed dispensaries.”
After Tuesday’s meeting, he told the Journal-News he wants the city to “expand our horizon” on what type of businesses are located near Ohio 63.
“We all know what we want in Monroe,” he said. “Sit-down restaurants. Chick-fil-A which will never happen. For me, it’s been important to limit (marijuana businesses). Four is enough. It’s plenty. I don’t want to be a one-stop place for all of Dayton and Cincinnati.”
Callahan has suggested extending the moratorium so council could “digest” the Nov. 7 election when Ohio voters will decide whether to make legalize recreational marijuana.
Dr. Kelly Clark, a council member and veterinarian, said the city, by waiting until after the election, would get “a free look” at how Monroe voters feel about legalizing recreational marijuana.
That vote, she said, could “significantly change the landscape” of marijuana businesses.
Last year, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy approved adding 73 dispensary licenses statewide, including three in Monroe, pushing the city’s total to four.
Once all four dispensaries are operational, Monroe, with a population of 15,412, will have one marijuana business per 3,853 residents, the highest rate in the state.
The only Ohio cities that will have more dispensaries than Monroe are Columbus (15), Cincinnati (11), Cleveland (5) and Dayton (5). Monroe is tied for fifth with Canton that has a population more than four times larger at 70,872.
OTHER NEWS OUT OF MONROE
Calling the total solar eclipse set for next year a “once in a lifetime event,” Monroe Public Works Director Gary Morton asked council if it was interested in the city hosting a community event.
The total solar eclipse is expected to start at about 3:08 p.m. April 8, 2024 within a 124-mile wide band in Ohio. The last total solar eclipse in Ohio occurred in 1806 and the next one is expected in 2099, Morton said.
He said Monroe is expecting a lot of visitors that day.
Morton suggested hosting an event at Community Park with food trucks, bands and inflatables. Vice Mayor Christina McElfresh jokingly asked Morton if he could find a four-minute fireworks show.
Mayor Keith Funk questioned whether the city has determined the total cost of the event. Morton said since it’s a Monday, city staff will be working anyway, though some overtime may occur.
Morton said he would pass the idea along to the Public Involvement Committee for more discussion.
Dispensary guidelines throughout the region
- City of Hamilton: The city of Hamilton Codified Ordinances prohibits the cultivation, processing, or retail dispensary of any medical marijuana. This ordinance was passed on Dec. 20, 2017.
- City of Middletown: On Feb. 21, 2017, the city of Middletown adopted Ordinance 2017-07 prohibiting the cultivation, processing, and retail dispensary establishments within the municipal limits of the city. Middletown is considering revoking the ordinance to permit the sales of medical marijuana.
- City of Fairfield: On April 24, 2017, the city of Fairfield passed Ordinance 33-17 prohibiting cultivation, processing, and retail dispensing of medical marijuana within its corporate limits.
- City of Trenton: The city of Trenton originally had an ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries. As of December 2021, that ordinance has been repealed and the code allows dispensaries as a conditional use.
- West Chester Twp.: On Jan. 23, 2018, West Chester Twp. adopted Resolution 04-2018 prohibiting the cultivation, processing, and retail dispensing of medical marijuana within the township.
- Liberty Twp.: On March 8, 2017, Liberty Twp. amended its zoning resolution to prohibit the cultivation, processing, and retail dispensing of medical marijuana in all zoning districts.
- City of Oxford: The city of Oxford permits medical marijuana dispensaries as a retail use without any additional regulations beyond what the state requires. On Feb. 9, 2023, the dispensary, Consume Oxford, opened making it the first dispensary in Oxford. The city has not had any cultivation or processing facility proposals.
- City of Franklin: The city passed an ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana cultivation, processing, and dispensary activities. The ordinance went into effect on April 6, 2023.
- City of Lebanon: In January 2022, the city of Lebanon enacted a six-month moratorium on granting medical marijuana dispensary permits. The moratorium expired in August 2022. The council extended the moratorium another six months after a new rule from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy allowed an increase in the number of dispensaries from one to seven in its district, which includes Warren, Clinton and Clermont counties. The city has one dispensary, About Wellness Ohio. On Sept. 13, 2022, City Council approved Ordinance 2022-095 amending the zoning code text to: Permit dispensaries as a conditional use in the General Commercial District; Limit the number of dispensaries allowed in the city to two; prohibit recreational use dispensaries; allow cultivation and production facilities in the city’s industrial use zones only; provide use specific guidelines for facilities; and add marijuana related definitions to the zoning code.
- City of Mason: On Jan. 22, 2018, the city of Mason approved Ordinance 2017-139 prohibiting medical marijuana cultivation, processing and retail dispensaries in any zoning district, overlay or PUD.
SOURCE: Presentation from Tom Smith, city of Monroe’s development director
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