Lincoln Park council rejects move to allow marijuana retailers in municipal business district

The Lincoln Park City Council on July 29 declined to approve a zoning-code change that would let marijuana retailer establishments locate in the municipal business district, rejecting a first-reading ordinance after public comment and council debate.

The ordinance text presented to council would have amended chapter 1278.03 of the city code to permit marijuana retailers as a “use permitted after special approval” in the Municipal Business District (MBD), subject to site design standards and approval by the council following a planning commission recommendation. The council heard a brief public comment and then voted; the motion for first reading failed on a 3-4 roll call.

The planning commission had held a public hearing on July 9 and, according to the materials read into the record at council, recommended the amendment by a 5-2 vote; the July 9 meeting minutes reportedly show two members of the public spoke at that hearing. At the council meeting, resident Richard Kudrak told the council that the prior approvals and public notices for marijuana businesses had directed such businesses to the general industrial district and said the public hearing on the zoning change was not properly advertised to residents.

Council members discussed that the proposed change would not automatically allow any retailer to relocate; each business would still have to apply and go through site plan and special-approval processes. Council members also asked whether site design standards like parking requirements had been defined; staff and council said such standards would be evaluated during the site-review process after a location was chosen.

Roll call on the motion produced the following recorded votes: Councilperson Dupree — yes; Councilperson Baer — yes; Councilperson Nichols — no; Councilperson Ross — no; Councilperson Salcedo — no; Councilperson Zohr — no; Mayor Maureen Tobin — yes. With three yes votes and four no votes, the first-reading motion failed and no amendment moved forward.

Council members and members of the public framed the issue around local business visibility and voter intent. One council member noted past ballot measures had limited options presented to voters, and another emphasized council’s discretion to approve or deny any individual site review application should a business later seek relocation.

The vote halts the immediate effort to permit marijuana retailers in MBDs; any future change would require the council to place a new amendment on the agenda and pursue the required readings and approvals.