Council extends cannabis moratorium and forwards dispensary rules to public hearing

Mentor on the Lake City Council extended a moratorium on acceptance and processing of applications for cannabis operations in the city and delayed final action on zoning for cannabis while related rules are finalized.

Ordinance 2025‑O‑03 would extend a three‑month moratorium for two additional months so the city can complete a public hearing and final rules; the council passed the emergency extension after a roll‑call vote (Yes: Moore, Thompson, Gray, Wong, Lunder, Johnson; No: Bittner). Planning and Zoning had reviewed a related ordinance (2025‑O‑01) to regulate cannabis dispensaries and unanimously recommended it proceed as written; that ordinance will go to second reading and a public hearing scheduled for March.

Councilmembers said the moratorium was needed because statutory changes and ongoing revisions to the ordinances made the currently posted drafts obsolete. The Planning and Zoning report noted the commission is reviewing whether virtual participation rules change when House Bill 257 goes into effect on April 8, and whether elements of the local zoning code comport with the Ohio Revised Code; the commission postponed some internal rule votes and recommended the dispensary ordinance return to council for the required public hearing.

The council also continued review of local cannabis licensure language (2025‑O‑02 and related chapter language) and will carry the items forward through the ordinance and planning processes. No final dispensary license or zoning approvals were enacted the night of the meeting; council directed staff to send the dispensary ordinance to a public hearing in March and to continue ordinance committee review of licensing and parking code revisions.