Council reviews Ordinance 33-2025 to add cannabis operator definition, notes title correction

Ordinance 33-2025, introduced by Council President Jordan and Mayor Thomas at a Richmond Heights City Council meeting, is at third reading and would amend the city planning and zoning code to add a definition for “adult use cannabis operators” and to prohibit adult-use cannabis operators in the city.

The measure, as introduced, was referred to the Planning Commission for recommendation. A city staff member told the council there is a mistake in the ordinance title and that a citation to an earlier short-term rental ordinance identified as “11/2011” was incorrect. The staff member said, “Norm Davis pointed that out to me. So we’re going to have to change that to, I’ve changed it already, but it’ll be 1120 Five-twelve will be the new section that will be in that. And when it comes back to you from, the Planning Commission, we’ll make sure we have that revised.”

Council did not take a final vote on the ordinance at this meeting; the discussion closed with staff noting the textual correction and with the item still routed through the Planning Commission for further review. No additional substantive changes to the proposed prohibition were recorded in the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: the ordinance would change local zoning code language and enact a prohibition on adult-use cannabis operators in Richmond Heights, a policy decision that would affect any future business proposals related to adult-use cannabis within the city limits. The council will consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation after the staff revision is formalized.

Next steps: the corrected ordinance will return from the Planning Commission for further council consideration; the transcript records only that staff will ensure the title and code citation are revised before resubmission.