MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Council in June opened the way for potential recreational cannabis dispensaries.
It’s expected Tuesday to consider repealing a ban against medical marijuana, as well.
Local lawmakers are scheduled to vote on two pieces of legislation that would undo what City Council approved seven years ago — a ban on medical marijuana cultivation, processing and retail distribution within city limits.
The first would repeal Chapter 769 of the city’s codified ordinances, which council approved in 1997 after the state allowed medical marijuana to be sold in Ohio. The second will repeal Section 1167.15 that specified the ban was in effect in all zoning districts in the city.
During its most recent meeting on June 19, City Council voted 5-3 to allow recreational dispensary businesses to seek a state license to operate in the city.
The vote came after two months of discussion and debate during council meetings.
After the vote against a six-month moratorium on recreational dispensaries, Mayor Jodie Perry said she is determined to make sure the city does it right.
Perry said she respected council’s decision and also the the will of city voters, 57 percent of whom voted in favor of Issue 2 in November.
That state issue made it legal to grow and possess marijuana in homes, but it also gave cities, villages and townships the right to make their own decisions regarding recreational dispensaries.
“Now that we have (council’s) answer, I am very intent on making sure that we become a model community for how we enact it and keep things within the lines of what’s allowed by law,” she said in June.
“We want to make sure we don’t do anything to derail the development. But both tonight and in previous meetings, they have talked about several communities that have done (medical cannabis dispensaries) successfully in Ohio,” she said after the meeting.
“Those are the ones we are calling to get the best practices,” the mayor said.
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City Council on Tuesday is also scheduled to:
— honor Capt. Douglas Bruce, who recently retired after more than 28 years of service with the Mansfield Fire Department. Bruce began as a firefighter in Crestline in 1991 and moved to the MFD in 1995. He served in a variety of positions, including training/safety officer to senior officer on the apparatus building committee. He was the station captain at Station 6 when he retired.
— vote to accept a $119,465 violent crime reduction grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services for police department operations. It will be used in the MPD’s license plate reader program. The grant will pay for service to eight LPR cameras through Dec. 31, as well as additional software and overtime expenses.
— vote on a bill that will raise the fees for building inspections and plan reviews and also adopt the updated Ohio Building Code and Residential Code of Ohio. The legislation will make changes to Section 1311 of the city’s codified ordinances.
— vote to accept a $75,000 donation from the Coca-Cola Consolidated Foundation to pay for the new basketball court at Liberty Park.
— vote on a plan to rezone 10 acres of the Walker Lake Condos area at North Home Road and Spring Vallage Lane, changing it to planned urban development from its current multi-family status. The city Planning Commission voted to recommend the change. Realtor Jerry Holden plans to build 21 duplexes at the site. He will provide public street, water and sewer along with other essential public needs, according to the planning commission.
— vote on a request to vacate a portion of Princeton Street between Grasmere Avenue and Harvard Avenue, as well as an unnamed alley in the area.
— vote to rezone four parcels around 552 Oak St. to limited impact industrial district from its current multi-family classification. The city Planning Commission voted to recommend the change.
— vote on an agreement with the Richland County Board of Commissioners to share in building department services.
— discuss during caucus a $300,000 contract with Midstates Recreation to playground equipment at the Sterkel Community Park for All.
— discuss during caucus a $10,000 payment to Jacobs Excavating for work done on the Liberty Park baseball field prior to submission of a purchase order.
— vote to accept an $80,000 grant from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to assist with the drug abuse response team.
— discuss during caucus spending, under state contract pricing, $117,679 for a compact excavator for the sewer repair department.
— discuss during caucus allowing the public works director to seek bids for road salt.
— vote to add a laborer position to the Clearfork Reservoir division and an equipment operator in the parks and recreation division.
