Zephyrhills council extends moratorium on medical marijuana treatment centers amid local proposal
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Summary
The City Council approved a temporary moratorium (first reading) on new medical marijuana treatment centers after a developer presented plans for a large cultivation and processing operation. Council debate centered on water use, zoning/industrial corridor fit, jobs and reputational concerns; the measure passed 4–1.
The Zephyrhills City Council on June 6 adopted, on first reading, a temporary moratorium on new medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) for up to 12 months, after hearing from GoodSense, a company proposing a large cultivation and processing campus in the city's industrial area.
Jasmine Johnson, CEO of GoodSense, described the company's approach as research-driven and medically focused: "We are a medicinal and clinically led company," Johnson said, noting partnerships the company seeks with universities and clinical researchers. Dr. Anthony Hall, a neurologic surgeon on the project's medical team, told the council the firm wants to grow strains for clinical trials and medicinal uses rather than recreational products.
Why it matters: the council must balance potential economic benefits — including jobs and capital investment — against water-consumption concerns, industrial-corridor land-use goals and community image. GoodSense said it plans phased development and modern water‑recycling systems; company representatives estimated, at full build-out, large operational water needs but said they would implement closed-loop capture and reuse systems to reduce net withdrawal.
Council debate was robust. Councilmember Kenneth Burgess said the proposal did not fit his vision for the industrial corridor and told the company: "I would not support this in any manner of speaking because of... what it is for our community." Police Chief Derek Brewer noted security and crime‑risk questions the city has faced historically with marijuana businesses elsewhere and urged council to weigh those operational risks.
Proponents noted job creation and local ownership. GoodSense representatives said a full build-out could create well‑paid technical and managerial jobs; the company also emphasized regulatory compliance and discreet operations. Company staff described phased construction (starting with roughly 15,000 square feet) and a multi‑year expansion target; they estimated staffing levels that would rise with facility size and presented rough labor and water-use metrics for council consideration.
The council voted 4–1 on the first reading to place a 12‑month moratorium on new treatment center permit applications while staff develops local regulations and land‑use guidance. City staff said they will return with recommended land‑development code amendments that could either allow limited cultivation/processing with conditions or restrict MMTC activity in certain zones. The moratorium does not deny future applications; it pauses new applications while the city drafts site‑specific standards and evaluates water and public‑safety impacts.
What’s next: planning staff will draft recommended code language and potential regulatory controls, and will present those options to council for further action. The moratorium is time‑limited and can be modified or lifted if council adopts a regulatory framework that addresses water, security and compatibility concerns.
