Washburn Council moves to draft anti-marijuana legislation
June 26, 2019
Vinnie Roberts
During Washburn City Council’s regular meeting on Monday, June 22, the board of alderman moved to draft legislation that would disallow marijuana dispensaries, manufacturing or grow facilities within city limits.
At the end of the meeting, during the time that miscellaneous business is discussed by the council, Washburn mayor John Tiedeman brought the issue in front of the council.
“I would like to, as a council, start thinking about marijuana. My suggestion is that it not be allowed to be grown, packaged or dispensed within the city limits,” said Tiedeman.
Tiedeman then opened up the floor to opinions from the board of alderman.
“I say we write something up that it’s not allowed within city limits, period,” said alderman Jeremy Johnston.
Tiedeman responded, commenting that legislation would have to be written in the month between council meetings.
“We would have to draft an ordinance that we would pass at the next meeting. My recommendation is none at all be allowed,” said Tiedeman.
With the rest of the council in agreement regarding the necessity of such legislation, the board of alderman unanimously passed a motion to begin drafting a new ordinance to prevent the sale, distribution, packaging and growth of marijuana and marijuana products within city limits.
This legislation could be considered to contradict parts of Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2, the legislation voted into law last year by the people of Missouri. This amendment allows for the growth, sale, packaging and distribution of marijuana products within the state to qualifying medical patients at licensed dispensaries.
According to Section 7, sub-section 11 of Amendment 2, “No local government shall prohibit Medical Marijuana Cultivation Facilities, Medical Marijuana Testing Facilities, Medical Marijuana-Infused Products Manufacturing facilities, or Medical Marijuana Dispensary facilities, or entities with a transportation certification either expressly through the enactment of ordinances or regulations that make their operation unduly burdensome in the jurisdiction.”
The sub-section goes on to explain that city government may enact penalties for violations of regulations or ordinances not in conflict with the previous quoted law, regarding the time, place or manner of operation of marijuana-related facilities.
Previously, other municipalities have attempted similar legislation with little success. Most municipalities creating cannabis-related ordinances are to be more business-friendly to the emerging medical businesses.
The amendment does allow for the passing of ordinances that decrease the mandatory distances marijuana-related businesses can be from certain institutions. Notably, the City of Springfield passed an ordinance that kept the standard distance of 1,000 feet from schools, but amended the acceptable distance of packaging, growth and dispensing facilities from 1,000 to 200 feet for daycares and churches.
The amendment also protects marijuana-related facilities from having to relocate if one of these protected institutions happens to move within 1,000 feet of their premises after they begin operation.
The next meeting of the Washburn City Council is scheduled for July 16. For more information on Washburn City Council, contact City Hall at (417) 826-5242.
Vinnie Roberts
During Washburn City Council’s regular meeting on Monday, June 22, the board of alderman moved to draft legislation that would disallow marijuana dispensaries, manufacturing or grow facilities within city limits.
At the end of the meeting, during the time that miscellaneous business is discussed by the council, Washburn mayor John Tiedeman brought the issue in front of the council.
“I would like to, as a council, start thinking about marijuana. My suggestion is that it not be allowed to be grown, packaged or dispensed within the city limits,” said Tiedeman.
Tiedeman then opened up the floor to opinions from the board of alderman.
“I say we write something up that it’s not allowed within city limits, period,” said alderman Jeremy Johnston.
Tiedeman responded, commenting that legislation would have to be written in the month between council meetings.
“We would have to draft an ordinance that we would pass at the next meeting. My recommendation is none at all be allowed,” said Tiedeman.
With the rest of the council in agreement regarding the necessity of such legislation, the board of alderman unanimously passed a motion to begin drafting a new ordinance to prevent the sale, distribution, packaging and growth of marijuana and marijuana products within city limits.
This legislation could be considered to contradict parts of Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2, the legislation voted into law last year by the people of Missouri. This amendment allows for the growth, sale, packaging and distribution of marijuana products within the state to qualifying medical patients at licensed dispensaries.
According to Section 7, sub-section 11 of Amendment 2, “No local government shall prohibit Medical Marijuana Cultivation Facilities, Medical Marijuana Testing Facilities, Medical Marijuana-Infused Products Manufacturing facilities, or Medical Marijuana Dispensary facilities, or entities with a transportation certification either expressly through the enactment of ordinances or regulations that make their operation unduly burdensome in the jurisdiction.”
The sub-section goes on to explain that city government may enact penalties for violations of regulations or ordinances not in conflict with the previous quoted law, regarding the time, place or manner of operation of marijuana-related facilities.
Previously, other municipalities have attempted similar legislation with little success. Most municipalities creating cannabis-related ordinances are to be more business-friendly to the emerging medical businesses.
The amendment does allow for the passing of ordinances that decrease the mandatory distances marijuana-related businesses can be from certain institutions. Notably, the City of Springfield passed an ordinance that kept the standard distance of 1,000 feet from schools, but amended the acceptable distance of packaging, growth and dispensing facilities from 1,000 to 200 feet for daycares and churches.
The amendment also protects marijuana-related facilities from having to relocate if one of these protected institutions happens to move within 1,000 feet of their premises after they begin operation.
The next meeting of the Washburn City Council is scheduled for July 16. For more information on Washburn City Council, contact City Hall at (417) 826-5242.