MANSFIELD — Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry expects to have a zoning proposal on Aug. 6 for City Council regarding a possible recreational cannabis dispensary in the city.
Armed with that information, local lawmakers held off Tuesday on scheduled votes that would eliminate a ban on medical marijuana facilities a previous council enacted seven years ago.
“As part of the (state) licensure process, the dispensaries have to get a sign off from the city saying that the location that they want fits our zoning or that we don’t have a prohibition in place,” Perry said.
“We think it’s the cleanest (to wait) until we have started the zoning process, because once we repeal this, we have no prohibitions in place,” the mayor said.
“Theoretically, (a cannabis dispensary still) needs the city to sign off, but we need to hold this to one more read in August. You can vote on it that night and we should have the zoning ready to start at that point,” Perry said.
“The zoning is in process,” she said.
All of this activity comes because City Council voted 5-3 on June 19 against a six-month moratorium on local dispensaries, opening the door for businesses seeking to gain state licenses to operate in Mansfield.
Assuming the zoning regulations are ready for consideration, a vote on the medical cannabis is expected Aug. 6. A vote on the actual zoning rules is still up in the air.
Zoning for such a cannabis dispensary was the sole topic at a city Planning Commission meeting July 9 when Perry and Adrian Ackerman, the city’s director of permitting and development, laid out their ideas.
Ackerman told commission members she has communicated with cities who currently have medical cannabis facilities. She said many of the new recommendations and requirements are coming from those cities.
(Below is a list of some of the recommendations proposed for zoning restrictions on a recreational cannabis dispensary in Mansfield as discussed in a city Planning Commission meeting July 9.)
The Planning Commission unanimously recommended the mayor’s plan to City Council, including limiting the dispensaries to operate only in general business (B-2) districts.
According to the city’s zoning plans, a B-2 district “is to provide for more diversified business establishments which are not generally located adjacent to residential neighborhoods.
“The General Business District contains shopping areas which are community wide or regional in nature and should be served by state highways or at least four-lane streets.”
The types of businesses normally allowed in a B-2 district include department stores and supermarkets; furniture stores; commercial recreation facilities like bowling centers, skating rinks and fitness centers; hotels/motels; and museums/civic centers, sports arenas and theaters.
Perry told the Planning Commission the city’s goal is to keep dispensaries in high traffic areas. Safety Service Director Keith Porch recommended hours of operation be limited from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Councilwoman At-Large Stephanie Zader agreed having the zoning restrictions in place is crucial before the state begins to process applicants interested in the Mansfield market.
“I’ve already received phone calls from local real estate agents and investors looking for locations to put dispensaries in,” she said.
“So if we’re not prepared, that’s not gonna be a good thing for (permitting and development) department and (could be) overwhelming them with those things,” Zader said.
“I would just add, if I may, we don’t want someone buying property and then it’s not going (to meet zoning requirements),” she said.
Third Ward Councilman Rev. El Akuchie, one of three lawmakers who opposed allowing dispensaries in the city, asked if the vote on the zoning, and lifting the ban on medical facilities, could be delayed until Aug. 20 to allow more time to examine the regulations.
“I don’t know the the language of the restrictions and I would really appreciate knowing all that before we go voting on it. I know you’re working on (the zoning regulations). I would like to see it (in advance) so that I would be able to make an informed decision,” Akuchie said.
“Right now, I am not really ready for anything. If we can have two more readings on this before we vote, that would be my preference,” he said.
The mayor said council members would get the proposed zoning regulations as soon as they are finalized.
“You will see all of that. That’s all going to be in that package. Absolutely that will be set up for more than same-night passage,” she said.
“My intention would be as soon as we have the final legal language from the law director’s office, we’ll send that out and then it’ll still go through the regular (process).
“This really is … (in order) to get the initial (state) permits, you need to be dual use (recreational and medical dispensaries).
“Allowing recreational, but holding back medical marijuana, doesn’t allow anything to move forward,” the mayor said.
