Middletown could soon allow marijuana businesses to set up shop in the area
Middletown is working to amend its current marijuana laws.
WATCH THE PODCAST. OF COURSE. ALL RIGHT, IN OTHER NEWS FOR YOU TONIGHT, THE MARIJUANA BUSINESS COULD BE COMING TO MIDDLETOWN IN ROUGHLY SEVEN YEARS AFTER THE CITY PROHIBITED RETAIL SELLERS FROM GROWING OR DISPENSING CANNABIS IN MIDDLETOWN, CITY COUNCIL IS NOW RECONSIDERING IT. WLWT NEWS FIVE’S DAISY KERSHAW IS LIVE TONIGHT IN MIDDLETOWN WITH MORE ON WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR THE AREA. HI, DAISY. HI, MIKE. WELL, BACK IN 2017, MIDDLETOWN BARRED MARIJUANA BUSINESSES FROM SETTING UP SHOP HERE LOCALLY. BUT NOW, ROUGHLY SIX MONTHS AFTER OHIOANS VOTED TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, THE CITY IS TAKING A LOOK AT AMENDING THAT DECISION. MIDDLETOWN IS REVISITING ITS MARIJUANA ORDINANCE AND IT IS GOING TO BE A BIG ISSUE. IT’S NEW. IT’S NOT VERY OFTEN THAT WE GET TO DO THIS. THIS KIND OF THING. THIS WEEK, CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTING TO AMEND ITS DEFINITION OF RETAIL MARIJUANA THAT WOULD MEAN TAKING A LOOK AT THE CITY’S CURRENT ZONING LAWS FROM THIS MAP. HERE. IT’S A 500 FOOT RADIUS FROM ALL THOSE PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTIES. RIGHT NOW, MARIJUANA BUSINESSES ARE RESTRICTED FROM BEING WITHIN A 500 FOOT RADIUS OF PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTIES, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SOME CHILD CARE CENTERS, SCHOOLS, PUBLIC PARKS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP. THEY ARE EFFECTIVE FOR ALL MARIJUANA BUSINESSES, SO NOT JUST DISPENSARIES, BUT ALSO THE CULTIVATORS, PROCESSORS AND TESTING LABS. SINCE 2017, MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES HAVE BEEN PROHIBITED IN MIDDLETOWN, AND THERE’S CURRENTLY A MORATORIUM ON RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LICENSES IN THE CITY SOON THAT COULD ALL CHANGE. I SPOKE WITH FOLKS IN MIDDLETOWN TONIGHT TO SEE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT. I THINK THAT’S A GOOD IDEA. YOU KNOW, KEEP IT. WE HAVE PLENTY OF PLACES THEY COULD SET UP. SHOP. ONE MIDDLETOWN PERSON WHO’S BEEN BATTLING ONGOING HEALTH ISSUES SAYS HAVING AN OPTION FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA LOCALLY WOULD BE HELPFUL TO MANY. I MYSELF DON’T DO IT RIGHT NOW AND IF THAT WAS AN OPTION THAT I HAD OFFERED TO ME FROM MY DOCTORS BECAUSE OF MY HEALTH ISSUES, IF THEY SAID, GO AHEAD AND DO THIS, I WOULD DO IT. AS FOR THE NEXT STEPS, THIS MOTION WILL NOW HEAD TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL MAKES ITS FINAL VOTE. REPORTING LIVE IN MIDDLETOWN TONIGHT. DAISY KERSHAW, WLWT NEWS FIVE. ALL RIGHT, DAISY, THANK YOU. THE MORATORIUM FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IN MIDDLETOWN WILL END IN JUNE. THE CITY WILL HAVE T
Middletown could soon allow marijuana businesses to set up shop in the area
Middletown is working to amend its current marijuana laws.
Middletown is taking steps to allow marijuana businesses to set up shop locally.Tuesday, council unanimously voted to amend its definition of retail marijuana.Zoning is also a big factor in the future of marijuana businesses in Middletown.Based on Ohio laws, marijuana businesses cannot be within a 500-foot radius of any publicly owned properties. That includes most commercial daycare facilities, schools, public parks and places of worship.During Tuesday’s meeting, Middletown’s Economic Development Programs manager laid out the potential zoning area where retail marijuana businesses would be allowed. Middletown residents spoke about how they’re feeling on the possibility of having marijuana businesses locally.”I think that’s a good idea. You know, keep it. We have plenty of places they could set up shop,” Cheryl Sears said. Next, this motion will head to the planning commission and from there will be an opportunity for public comment before council makes its final vote.
Middletown is taking steps to allow marijuana businesses to set up shop locally.
Tuesday, council unanimously voted to amend its definition of retail marijuana.
Zoning is also a big factor in the future of marijuana businesses in Middletown.
Based on Ohio laws, marijuana businesses cannot be within a 500-foot radius of any publicly owned properties.
That includes most commercial daycare facilities, schools, public parks and places of worship.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Middletown’s Economic Development Programs manager laid out the potential zoning area where retail marijuana businesses would be allowed.
Middletown residents spoke about how they’re feeling on the possibility of having marijuana businesses locally.
“I think that’s a good idea. You know, keep it. We have plenty of places they could set up shop,” Cheryl Sears said.
Next, this motion will head to the planning commission and from there will be an opportunity for public comment before council makes its final vote.