Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Government topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Jamestown council reconsiders medical marijuana ordinance after members say adoption was rushed
Summary
Councilors raised concerns that the town's medical marijuana ordinance was adopted hastily and discussed options to repeal or rewrite it before a state deadline; members noted Jamestown lacks zoning that would limit where dispensaries can locate.
Council members revisited Jamestown's medical marijuana ordinance, with several saying the council may have moved too quickly when it opted in and that the town should reexamine local controls.
A council member said, "I feel like we hurried, we hurried into that boat," and urged the council to study the ordinance further and consider whether the town should seek more local control over where facilities locate. The speaker noted Jamestown does not have a zoning ordinance, which limits the council's ability to specify locations such as the town square or near particular institutions.
The chair responded that the ordinance the town adopted allows growing, processing and dispensaries as long as facilities meet state requirements, and that any future decision on recreational sales would require a separate ordinance. "The ordinance has to be the way that it's . . . the option," the chair said, explaining the procedural steps to repeal or replace a local ordinance would require two readings.
Council members noted that many cities and counties that placed measures on ballots across the state had approved medical marijuana; several speakers said neighboring jurisdictions including Russell Springs had already opted in and that Jamestown's later opt-in meant no local application was submitted for an earlier lottery.
Members discussed options: leave the current ordinance in place, repeal and rewrite a replacement ordinance with more local controls, or pursue other regulatory steps to influence placement and operations. The chair observed the town had already submitted an opt-in notification to the state, which constrains immediate changes without formal repeal and two readings.
No formal motion to repeal the ordinance was recorded in the transcript; the council agreed to consider the issue further ahead of the state deadline.
Next steps described in the meeting: the council may schedule additional review, and staff or councilors would prepare options for ordinance language and timing if members seek repeal and replacement.
