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Committee recommends against adopting adult-use cannabis ordinance; councilman says he will vote no
Summary
The Committee of the Whole voted 5–2 against recommending adoption of Ordinance 2024‑417, which would regulate certain medical-marijuana and adult-use cannabis facilities in Brooklyn. Councilman Matt Mosley said he will vote no at council tonight, citing state regulatory uncertainty and a recent change in the governor's budget proposal.
Brooklyn City Council is scheduled to vote on Ordinance 2024-417, an amendment to the city’s planning and zoning code to regulate certain medical-marijuana and adult‑use cannabis facilities, after the Committee of the Whole recommended against adoption by a 5–2 vote.
The Committee of the Whole held a public hearing on the ordinance Feb. 24 and then voted not to recommend adoption. Council President Andy Sellhertz told council that, under city code, a three‑quarters vote of council (six members) would be required to override the commission’s recommendation and adopt the ordinance. If adopted by that supermajority, the code would be amended 30 days after the mayor signs the legislation or after the mayor’s signing period expires.
Councilman Matt Mosley, who helped introduce the legislation in 2024 with Councilman Aaron Borowski, told colleagues in his report that he will vote no at tonight’s meeting. “I personally feel that it's good solid legislation,” Mosley said, but he added that changes at the state level have created uncertainty. He pointed to a recent proposal from Governor Mike DeWine that would raise the special tax on cannabis from 10% to 15% and remove a 3.6% host city tax, and said that speed of state-level changes influenced his position. “Therefore, I will be voting no tonight because it's what's good for Brooklyn at this moment in time,” Mosley said.
Mosley and others noted limits on local authority: the council cannot set minimum distances between dispensaries, outlaw homegrown cannabis, or unilaterally impose certain taxes where state law governs those areas, a point the Planning Commission raised when it chose not to recommend the ordinance. The Committee of the Whole’s summary record showed five votes against recommendation and two in favor; names for that committee tally were not recorded in the committee summary read into the council minutes.
The ordinance remains on the council agenda for third reading and adoption. Because the Planning Commission did not recommend adoption, an affirmative vote by six council members would be required to override that recommendation and enact the code change.
No final council vote on Ordinance 2024‑417 was recorded in the portions of the meeting transcript supplied.
Votes at a glance Ordinance 2024‑417 — Amends Planning and Zoning Code to regulate certain medical‑marijuana and adult‑use cannabis facilities. Committee of the Whole recommendation: not recommended (5 no, 2 yes). Public hearing held Feb. 24. Council vote pending; a three‑quarters council vote (six members) would be required to override the Planning Commission’s non‑recommendation and adopt.
