Committee advances 90-day suspension on new marijuana retail licenses to allow zoning review

Wilmington City Council’s Health, Environmental, Aging and Disabilities Committee voted to send an ordinance to the full council that would impose a 90-day suspension on issuing marijuana retail licenses to allow the city to complete zoning and planning work.

Councilman Alexander Hackett, who presented the ordinance, said the measure “will provide the city the opportunity to work through through our mandated zoning and planning process.” He told the committee the pause is intended to give the city time to regulate and zone retail marijuana locations so they fall “in the right areas” and do not “negatively affect” neighborhoods.

The committee chair, Councilman Kobe Owens, opened the item for questions and public comment; none were recorded. A motion to move the ordinance out of committee was made, seconded and approved during the meeting. Committee members voiced “aye” during the roll call and the chair declared the ordinance out of committee.

The ordinance was moved out of committee without a named mover or seconder recorded in the meeting transcript; the committee will place the ordinance on the full council agenda for further consideration and any subsequent formal votes.

Hackett said the administration has been engaged on the measure and described the ordinance as a cooperative, interim step while the city completes required zoning and planning reviews. No effective date, specific zoning changes, or enforcement details were included in the committee presentation.

Next steps: the ordinance will appear on the full council agenda for a subsequent meeting where council members can debate, amend or vote on the measure.