The city of Brunswick opened a conversation on whether its moratorium on issuing building permits related to cultivation, processing or the retail sale of recreational marijuana should be extended for another six months.
BRUNSWICK — The city opened a conversation on whether its moratorium on issuing building permits related to cultivation, processing or the retail sale of recreational marijuana should be extended for another six months.
Monday’s meeting was the third time Brunswick City Council reviewed legislation to add six months to the moratorium. The moratorium was first created in December.
“What happens to the moratorium is it just continues where things are,” Vice Mayor Nick Hanek said. “It can be lifted at any time.”
The city is waiting to see if the Ohio Legislature changes how it handles things like the allocating taxes from recreational marijuana sales while it’s in the lame-duck session, he said.
“I do not recommend lifting the moratorium until we have something else in place, whether that’s a prohibition or some sort of permissive use, however that might look,” Law Director Dennis Nevar said.
Economic Development Director Grant Aungst said the state created many funds for the retail sale of marijuana, but the state has not decided how and when to dispense the funds. The money generated does not directly go to participating cities.
“My inkling is that we will probably, in the long-run, not see long-term financial benefit from a cannabis dispensary,” he said.
Ward 3 Councilman Brandon Lambert said he is actively working on legislation that would allow a dispensary to potentially come to Brunswick. He said there is an optics issue with the moratorium, and the city is sending mixed signals to the public.
“To me, it feels like we’re speaking on both sides of our mouths on this thing as a collective by doing one thing over here and doing another thing over here,” he said.
Lambert suggested shortening the moratorium to three months instead and extending it for another three months later on if necessary.
“It would tell the residents that we’re actively working on this legislation, so we’re not going to just arbitrarily extend it without a second thought to it,” he said.
Former Brunswick resident Keri Russell spoke about the ordinance during public comment. She said by extending the moratorium, the city is blocking job opportunities and additional tax revenue.
“Some people are sober and don’t drink,” she said. “You haven’t made a moratorium against liquor licenses, and we even have a liquor agency located in the community. Marijuana can be treated in a similar fashion. If someone doesn’t like or want to participate in the sale of recreational marijuana, nobody is forcing them to do so.”
Russell said she has seen lots of support for marijuana sales on social media from Brunswick residents.
“The point of my commentary to you, Council, is that you need to drop your personal beliefs at the door,” she said. “You’re a voice of the people in their entirety, whether you’re sitting for a ward or at-large, not just for the loudest person or the oldest person, and certainly not just for yourself or your own generation.”
H/T: medina-gazette.com
