Warren council approves first reading to amend marijuana ordinance, shifts licensing to administrative process

Warren City Council approved the first reading of an amendment to Chapter 19.5 of the city code on March 11 that changes how the city handles marijuana licensing, appeals and renewal extensions.

City staff and council members said the draft ordinance is intended to close a litigation loop, remove discretionary review that drew Open Meetings Act challenges, and rely on existing zoning rules to limit where retail establishments may locate.

Staff summarizing the draft told the council the revision would: remove the marijuana review committee created in 2019 and the closed-door decisionmaking associated with it; permit the building department to grant a one-time 60-day administrative extension of a license renewal when delays are beyond the applicant’s control; route construction-code appeals to the city’s Construction Board of Appeals rather than the council; and remove the numerical cap on adult-use retail licenses while leaving the zoning restrictions (industrial or C-3 zones, 1,000 feet from schools, 500 feet from residences, parks, religious institutions and daycares) in place.

“This thing went to the Supreme Court twice...the closed door meetings violated the Open Meetings Act,” staff said, describing prior litigation and the city’s legal exposure. The speaker noted the litigation has…