BENTONVILLE -- Planning commissioners will consider an ordinance today that says where medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities will be allowed.
The meeting includes a public hearing on the ordinance. It will start at 5 p.m. in the Community Development Building at 305 S.W. A St.
The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016 permits local municipalities to establish zoning regulations for dispensaries and cultivation facilities, however, they need to be treated as a pharmacy would be treated, said Shelli Kerr, planning services manager.
The city doesn't have a pharmacy definition.
Both types of medical marijuana facilities are permissible under a couple of the downtown neighborhood zoning districts because they would be considered a pharmacy, which falls under the retail use category, Kerr told commissioners at their Technical Review meeting Aug. 29.
"That was the biggest concern we had because those are primarily residential," she said.
The proposed ordinance will permit dispensaries and cultivation facilities in general commercial, central commercial, downtown core, light industrial and heavy industrial zoning districts.
Dispensaries will not be permitted within 1,500 feet of a school, church or daycare. Cultivation facilities will not be permitted within 3,000 feet of those types of operations, according to the ordinance.
Commissioner Rod Sanders asked if it was important for the city to move on this ordinance now or wait a little longer.
The city has received numerous phone calls from people asking what the process would be to operate a medical marijuana facility in the city, Jon Stanley, city planner, answered. No one has called specifically about this ordinance, but the Planning Department has received about 20 calls about the city's regulations on medical marijuana, Stanley said Friday. He refers them to the state laws.
"We haven't had anyone submit any plans," he said.
The ordinance, if approved by the commission, will then go to City Council for approval.
NW News on 09/05/2017