Two Cannabis Ordinances to go to Committee of the Whole
Council's Committee of Whole to Meet on Wednesday
Last night, Troy City Council met to discuss three ordinances dealing with the aftermath of last year’s State Issue 2 that permitted recreational cannabis use throughout the state.
As expected, Ordinance O-61-2024, passed with a 7-1 majority which would allow adult use testing laboratories in the city’s M-3 Zoning District; as had previously been discussed with both the Planning Commission and the council’s Community and Economic Development Committee, the state laws were crafted in such a way where individual communities could not outright ban such testing laboratories. Therefore, the recommendation to the city council was to place such facilities in the most restrictive zoning district, which was the M-3 Industrial Zoning District.
The other two ordinances, O-59-2024 and O-60-2024, were both held over for a second reading at the request of Council Member Jeff Schilling, who also serves as the Chairman of the Community and Economic Development Committee. Council Member Schilling also requested that these two ordinances be deliberated by Council’s Committee of the Whole on Wednesday, December 18th at 6:00 p.m.; a request that was granted by Council President William Rozell.
The Committee of the Whole is an opportunity for the Council President to provide an opportunity for the entire council to provide input on issues at the committee level. This particular meeting will give all council members an opportunity to discuss this contentious issue for the first time in a public forum. Up to this point, council has only held a public hearing and the discussions have been limited to the Community and Economic Development Committee.
Traditionally, most committee items are decided upon a three member committee. The Committee of the Whole option provides all council members an opportunity to participate in the committee process. The Committee of the Whole will make a report to the entire council at their next meeting and possibly a recommendation on the two ordinances, depending on the deliberations of the meeting.
The need for the meeting seems to come from either confusion among the two ordinances that were drafted by the City’s Law Director, Mr. Grant Kerber. As part of the responsibilities of the Law Director, it is his duty to draft all ordinances and resolutions for consideration by the council. Under the direction of the last report of the Community and Economic Development Committee, Mr. Kerber prepared two ordinances, one would allow for one recreational cannabis dispensary operation in the B-4, Highway Business district and a second would allow for one medical cannabis dispensary operation.
In his comments, Council Member Jeff Schilling stated that the two ordinances presented were not the desire of the Community and Economic Development Committee. Mr. Schilling believed that the desire of the community was to have one dispensary, not the option for two, to be in the community.
The Committee of The Whole will have to contend with this issue, as well as a formal recommendation from the City’s Planning Commission to permanently ban all cannabis operations in the community.
The meeting will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, December 18th at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. These meetings, like all committee meetings, are open to the public and public comments will likely be entertained.
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I’m for one dispensary in the designated zoning district mentioned in the proposed ordinance.
Some items to consider by Steve Henriksen regarding the cannabis issue:
• Illegal sales of cannabis are here to stay and available to anyone of any age in any place
• Continued prohibition of legal sales of cannabis means the only source of cannabis is on the street. This will not go away with the approval or disapproval of a dispensary
• A legal cannabis dispensary would provide the only reasonably safe source of supply
• Cannabis dispensary is much more restrictive than liquor establishments, by restricting entry to ages 21+.
• Signage is easily restricted if needed
• As an adult I have the right under state law to purchase many items far more dangerous than cannabis:
o Tobacco
o Liquor
o Guns
o Ammunition
o Insecticides and pesticides
o Gasoline and propane
o Etc
o Who is responsible for using these products safely –ME, not you
o Freedom of choice is a fundamental right
o You can legislate safety but it is really up to responsible adults!
• If adults buy any of the products listed and give them to minors – they are the problem not the dispensary, grocery store or bar. Let’s keep the responsibility where it belongs
• The federal position on cannabis is a moot point, but makes a good starting point for endless and worthless debate. The realities are that some states have legalized cannabis and have not been expelled from the country
• The wonderful city we live in just allowed another liquor establishment to move into Troy despite the city’s liquor permits being fully allocated. When does this begin to tarnish the city’s reputation? More than a single cannabis dispensary located far from downtown?