PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) – Peoria city councilmembers are one step closer to solidifying regulations for cannabis dispensaries within city limits.
Tuesday night, councilmembers narrowed down their preferences for cannabis dispensaries operating within city limits. This gives further direction to city staff members as they draft a proposed ordinance to be voted on.
Here are some of the measures councilmembers discussed before a formal ordinance is drafted:
- Special use permits for cannabis dispensaries valid for six months instead of two years (passed unanimously)
- Cannabis dispensaries not permitted in residential districts, Prospect District, Sheridan Triangle, Main Street and the Warehouse District (would go to Planning and Zoning Commission for a recommendation before returning to council for a vote) (passed unanimously)
- Prohibit on-site consumption, until it is specifically authorized (passed unanimously)
- No more than six adult use cannabis dispensary conditional uses may be established within the corporate limits (passed with Andre Allen and Mayor Rita Ali voting ‘no’)
- 1500 feet between cannabis dispensaries, including Social Equity Applicants; Councilman Andre Allen preferred that Social Equity Applicants be excluded from the distance limitations to eliminate barriers (passed with Andre Allen voting ‘no’)
Andre Allen: “To clarify, I don’t want to see marijuana row in Peoria, Illinois by no means. But again if we are truly trying to foster equity in this space, we need to have foresight of removing different barriers. And so we know that there are going to be challenges for minorities, women owned businesses to enter this space, having access to capital, having access to other different funding mechanisms and so we need to have foresight of that.”
