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Marietta City Law Director Paul Bertram, left, talks about one of the ordinances that had a first reading during a special council meeting Thursday evening that would limit adult recreational use marijuana dispensaries in Marietta to two. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)
MARIETTA — Marietta City Council took a step toward adopting ordinances related to recreational marijuana Thursday.
During a special council meeting Thursday, council performed the first readings of three ordinances related to recreational marijuana, Ordinance No. 94 (24-25), Ordinance No. 95 (24-25) and Ordinance No. 96 (24-25).
After the first readings of the ordinances were performed, Ward 2 Councilman Bret Allphin, who introduced the ordinances, said there was no further action to take on them.
City Law Director Paul Bertram spoke about the ordinances and what they mean.
Ordinance 94 (24-25) changes the city ordinance related to medical mairjuana by adding new definitions related to marijuana that the state of Ohio created during the process of setting up adult recreational marijuana and it adds dual use dispensaries to the ordinance, according to Bertam.
The ordinance will need to be amended because of these new state definitions, Bertram said.
Ordinance 95 (24-25) sets the number of adult-use recreational marijuana dispensaries that will be allowed in Marietta and it regulates the use of it, he said.
The ordinance limits adult recreational use marijuana dispensaries to two in Marietta, according to Bertram.
Ordinance No. 96 (24-25), deals with adult recreational use marijuana, dispensary licenses and zoning, Bertam said. According to the ordinance it is a new ordinance and it does not amend an existing one.
During the meeting a possible new adult use recreational marijuana dispensary was discussed.
There is a company that wants to build a dispensary on State Route 7 across from McAlarney’s Pools, Spas and Billiards, Bertram said.
Marietta Zoning Enforcement Officer Jim Caldwell said the company contacted him about getting a demolition permit for the site and he told them what department they need to deal with.
According to Bertam, the location meets the state law that dispensaries have to be one mile apart.
Allphin mentioned he is open to amendments to the ordinances and to even tabling them and going back to committee meetings to discuss them further.
“We’re going to have three readings, maybe more, to discuss (these) and make sure we get it right,” he said.
Sept. 7 is the date by which all the recreational use marijuana licenses have to be issued by the state, Allphin said, and that is the date by which he wants to have adult use recreational marijuana ordinances passed.
Allphin is not sure if the city is required to have its legislation by then and he will wait for Bertam to clarify that, he said.
Thursday night was not the first time council discussed adult use recreational marijuana ordinances.
Council first started talking about possible recreational marijuana ordinances in June at a Planning, Zoning, Annexation and Housing (PZAH) Committee meeting where Allphin, the committee’s chair, shared information about current city zoning codes and state laws and how they affect where a recreational marijuana dispensary could be located in the city.
During a July PZAH meeting, Allphin suggested that changes should be made to the preexisting medical marijuana city ordinances to incorporate adult recreational marijuana and he said he thought there could be two adult use dispensaries in Marietta based on state law and city zoning codes.
Marietta already has one dual use dispensary, Columbia Care, owned by The Cannabist Company, and it started selling recreational marijuana on Aug. 6, with a line of people stretching out the door the first few days.
The next city council meeting is 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5 in Room 10 of the Marietta Armory. According to Council President Susan Vessels there will be a special meeting 6 p.m. Aug. 29 in Room 10 of the Marietta Armory regarding the ordinances.
Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com
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“}]] MARIETTA — Marietta City Council took a step toward adopting ordinances related to recreational marijuana Thursday. During a special council meeting Thursday, council performed the first readings of three ordinances related to recreational marijuana, Ordinance No. 94 (24-25), Ordinance No. 95 (24-25) and Ordinance No. 96 (24-25). After the first readings of the ordinances were Read More