Brentwood takes first step to require conditional-use review for marijuana cultivation and infused-products manufacturing

The Brentwood Board of Aldermen on April 6, 2026 opened a public hearing and gave a first reading to a text amendment that would require marijuana cultivation and marijuana-infused product manufacturing facilities to obtain conditional-use permits in the Manchester Corridor Commercial (MC), Planned Development (PD) overlay, and Light Industrial (LID) districts.

Planning staff told the board that many cultivation and infused-products manufacturing operations are currently a permitted use in the city’s light industrial district but that recent odor complaints in other local jurisdictions prompted the proposal to allow initial review by the Planning and Zoning Commission and final review by the Board of Aldermen. “Based upon recent complaints in other communities regarding smell, we wanted to change that to a conditional use so we can have initial review at the planning and zoning commission and ultimately board of aldermen for a conditional use permit,” the planner said.

Alderman Tice said the proposal grew from a Ward 1 resident’s concern about odors from a facility in Rock Hill and praised the change as appropriate for Brentwood. Alderman Gould asked whether the city’s noticing requirement for conditional-use permits — mail notice to property owners within 300 feet — would be sufficient to capture everyone affected; planning staff replied that the 300-foot requirement is what the code requires for CUP notices and that staff would supplement outreach through the city website and other communications where appropriate.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval at its March meeting by a 9–0 vote. The measure received a first reading by title; a second reading and final vote will be scheduled at a future meeting. The ordinance language being considered amends sections 400.1375, 400.1380 and 400.1390 of the Brentwood code and related sections cited by staff.