Parma Heights City Council considering Marijuana dispensary ordinance
City Council is currently considering recreational marijuana ordinances that bogart its medical marijuana legislation.
“Our marijuana legislation is in response to the passing of Issue 2,” Parma Heights City Council President Tom Rounds said.
“We need to update our current ordinances to reflect this change in law.”
Earlier this week, City Council -- per the city charter -- referred the legislation tweak to the planning commission.
This comes more than six months after Ohio voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Mayor Marie Gallo said Issue 2 also overwhelmingly passed in Parma Heights.
“Everyone is aware of the changes in state law that happened by initiative,” she said. “We immediately implemented a moratorium to study the changes in state law and to study the new regulations.
“What is before Council right now are proposed amendments to reflect the addition of adult-use cannabis licensing on state law.”
The mayor noted Parma Heights, which recently rezoned its business districts, has three multi-use areas.
“These marijuana dispensaries that will be allowed are for medical use, adult use and dual use,” she said. “So the legislation will allow dispensaries as a conditional use in each multi-use district.
“There will be no more than one dispensary per district and they have no more than one in a mile within each other. No cultivation centers and no processing facilities will be permitted in the city.”
The pending legislation mirrors what the city passed more than a half-decade ago regarding medical marijuana.
While potential marijuana dispensary owners haven’t contacted the city, the mayor, who is in favor of the proposed legislation passing this summer, expects there to be interest in Parma Heights.
“These dispensaries are heavily regulated by the state,” she said. “Our safety department is on board. Both the safety director and police chief do not have any issues with these dispensaries.
“It’s economic development. It’s an economic engine, not only for our city, but for surrounding cities.”
