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Council deadlocks on ban for medical‑marijuana treatment centers after extended debate
Summary
A proposed ordinance to redefine and prohibit medical‑marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) — including cultivation, processing and dispensaries — failed after members split over water use, jobs and local control. Staff said the statute groups cultivation and dispensary under the same MMTC definition, limiting partial regulation.
City planning staff brought forward an amendment to the land‑development code (ordinance 1510‑25) that would update the city's definition of "medical marijuana treatment centers" to mirror recent changes in state statute and remove all MMTC uses from allowable zoning categories. Planning Director Todd Vanderberg explained the change would treat cultivation, processing and dispensaries as a single defined use.
Vanderberg told council "you can't treat them different... So you either have to let it all or ban all," arguing that the statute's definition constrains selective zoning. Supporters of the ordinance cited concerns about water use, neighborhood character and preemption of local authority. Opponents warned that an outright ban could forfeit potential local jobs and economic opportunities and that existing, operating dispensaries would be grandfathered.
Councilmembers debated the tradeoffs for more than an hour. Several members asked staff to track state legislative developments that might allow finer distinctions between dispensaries and cultivation in the future. When the council voted on first reading, the motion ultimately failed after discussion and a voice vote. The existing moratorium on new MMTC approvals remains in effect through July 2026; staff said the code can be revisited as state law or local priorities change.
No regulatory changes were adopted at the Dec. 8 meeting; planning staff will monitor statutory developments and return with options if requested.
