PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria city officials now have some clear direction from the City Council about how to update the city’s ordinances regarding legal cannabis.
But not every piece of policy direction Tuesday night was unanimous. Case in point: the majority of the council’s preference to keep a minimum 1,500 feet distance between dispensaries, including so-called “social equity applicants.”
“If we can eliminate barriers by providing an exception, for them to be a little bit less, it might open up additional venue opportunities for them,” said Andre Allen, Dist. 4. Allen also says, though, he doesn’t want to see a bunch of dispensaries close together, a “marijuana row,” as he put it.
Other council members thought there shouldn’t be any exceptions to any rules.
“I have always said I would like as much space between these as possible. I don’t want the city to be saturated with them. I would prefer that to apply to all applicants myself,” said Beth Jensen, At Large council member.
City officials do say some of those social equity applicants are already having trouble getting opened and running.
They do agree on things like changing the special use permit time to six months instead of two years, and don’t want on-site consumption of cannabis.
Two council members were also against limiting the number of dispensaries in the city limits to six.
All the recommendations will be put into ordinance form for a future council vote.
Comments