The City of Weston has narrowed down its stance on medical marijuana operations, but will not vote to approve its final zoning adjustments until January 2020.
At the Monday, Dec. 9 meeting of the board of aldermen, the city failed to pass an ordinance mandating zoning for medical marijuana facilities. With alderman Rebecca Rooney absent, the ordinance failed on a 2-1 vote, with alderman Mike Goentzel voting no.
“I don’t think we should have restrictions on anything, considering the bars and alcohol and everything else we have in this town,” Goentzel said.
His concern is with the planning and zoning commission’s determination to only allow dispensaries to operate in the highway commercial district — prohibiting their operation in the downtown historic district. Planning and zoning also recommended cultivation, manufacturing and testing facilities be limited to the agricultural district.
Goentzel said that the operation of a dispensary is no different than the operation of a pharmacy, with products secured behind a counter. Patrons would come in, purchase their products and leave. He did not believe patrons would congregate and use the products near the dispensary, a concern cited by members of the planning and zoning commission.
Alderman Joyce Priddy said she believed this ordinance gave the city a starting point for untested waters and later restrictions could be loosened. Goentzel disagreed, stating the city should not make operation of a dispensary more difficult.
A veteran himself, Goentzel said Veteran Affairs has already dabbled in medical marijuana and he believes it could help answer the opioid crisis. Unlike those painkillers, which can lead to later addiction to pills and, for some, heroin, no evidence exists that marijuana is a “gateway drug,” he said.
The commission looked at allowing dispensaries in the light industrial area near city hall, but later removed that provision because it was too close to the downtown historical district.
“Previous boards have made mistakes and I think right now we’re making another one,” Goentzel said.
The board again discussed the subject at a special meeting Monday, Dec. 16 but did not vote. However, aldermen did amend the proposed ordinance to allow cultivation, manufacturing and testing facilities in the light industrial area, as after further research they learned most cultivation facilities are indoors instead of in open fields.
A vote on the amended ordinance — and possible continued discussion on dispensaries — is expected at the Monday, Jan. 13, 2020 meeting.
Also at the Dec. 9 meeting, interim director of public works Eric Mosier was unanimously approved as the new director of public works. He will officially take over the role at the end of the month. Former director Mike Large resigned in the fall.