Jerome Township officials plan to consider all of their options before they decide how to regulate marijuana operations in the area.
During the trustees meeting Tuesday, the board directed Zoning Inspector Eric Snowden to research how facilities that grow, process or sell marijuana would be permitted by the township’s zoning code.
Snowden noted that new considerations might be necessary despite the township approving a legislation in 2017 to prohibit medical marijuana facilities in the township.
Following the passage of what Snowden called “adult use” marijuana, he said officials need to consider how the zoning code will dictate where commercial marijuana operations are allowed to locate.
He emphasized that the discussions revolve specifically around land uses and zoning – the township cannot prohibit the personal use or growth of marijuana as now permitted by Ohio law.
Snowden said operations that cultivate marijuana are generally zoned within agricultural land uses, while processing falls within industrial zoning and dispensaries are located in areas zoned for retail.
He provided the board three options, although they would all ultimately result in prohibiting marijuana operations.
Snowden’s options were: decide officials do not want marijuana facilities in the township and prohibit them for that reason; decide township land is too economically valuable for marijuana operations and prohibit them; or direct staff to create a zoning amendment that allows marijuana facilities in certain areas but prohibit them in the meantime.
Pete Griggs, attorney for the township, explained that recreational-use marijuana dispensaries cannot be licensed until the state establishes the Division of Cannabis Control, which is supposed to occur by September.
The township has the authority to treat them as conditional uses or limit the total amount that will be permitted in the area.
If the trustees prohibit them entirely for now, Griggs said they may have to “unravel” the legislation later.
He added that he has found it interesting that most municipalities he advises did the same as Jerome in prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries, but he is “seeing the exact opposite with adult use.”
Trustee Wezlynn Davis said she feels the result of the election to legalize recreational marijuana is “critical information.”
Adler said approximately 52% of Jerome Township residents voted in favor of legalizing marijuana for personal use.
“If our voters within Jerome Township voted in favor…” Davis began to say.
Trustee Chair Barry Adler added, “it kind of flies in their face to prohibit it.”
Still, Davis said she wanted to take certain items into consideration.
She said she is concerned by the prospect of marijuana dispensaries being located in proximity to local schools, especially considering Jerome Township has three school districts.
Adler said he believes the state regulations prohibit them within a certain distance of schools, but Griggs added that it can be regulated within township zoning.
Davis added that she also worries about how marijuana dispensaries would affect township roads.
“If anything’s going to drive traffic here, it’s going to be that, so I don’t know that I’m necessarily in favor” from the perspective of increased traffic, she said.
Adler agreed with considering the details raised by Davis but did not express opposition to allowing marijuana facilities.
“My opinion is this would be economic development,” he said.
The trustees advised Snowden to research options, specifically where different marijuana facilities could be located in Jerome Township and where they would fall as conditional uses, before they will take action.
Plain City Council recently voted to approve a moratorium on the cultivation, processing and retail sale of adult use cannabis in the village.
Legal counsel for the village Ashley Hetzel explained that a number of local governments are approving moratoriums until the state regulatory agency is in place and the permitting process is clearer.
In February, Marysville City Council also approved a similar moratorium that will be in place through the end of the year.