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County adopts ordinance aligning local cannabis rules with state law after reluctant votes
Summary
The Board adopted County Ordinance 25-01 to align local licensing rules for cannabis growers, processors and dispensaries with state law (SB516 and HB805). The measure passed on a 3-2 vote amid commissioners' objections to state preemption of local zoning.
Queen Anne's County Commissioners on June 10 adopted County Ordinance 25-01 to amend local rules for cannabis growers, processors and dispensaries to conform with recent state legislation (Senate Bill 516 and House Bill 805).
Commissioners said the ordinance was mandated by state law and framed the vote as compliance rather than local policy preference. One commissioner expressed frustration that the state is limiting local land-use control, saying the change was required by the state and that he would prefer not to adopt it if a choice existed.
A motion to adopt Ordinance 25-01 was made and seconded. The ordinance passed by a recorded margin of three in favor and two opposed.
County staff noted the ordinance updates local licensing and zoning language to be consistent with the state bills cited at the meeting. Commissioners said they will continue to raise concerns with state policymakers about what they described as growing state intrusion into local land-use decisions.
The action implements a state-mandated alignment of county permitting language and will be published in the county's set of public local laws.
