The city of Poplar Bluff is considering zoning changes related to the establishment of recreational marijuana facilities.
The rules would relate to state-licensed facilities, city manager Matt Winters told city council members Tuesday, when the item was discussed during the workshop portion of their regular meeting.
The meeting opened with the swearing in of new council member Billy DePew. DePew fills the at-large seat vacated by Robert Duckett, who stepped down for personal reasons.
This was DePew’s first meeting as a voting member, after being selected in August by a vote of the council.
The marijuana facilities ordinance changes were passed by the council to the Sept. 18 voting session.
“With the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state of Missouri, we’re proposing changes to our code of ordinances to address the issue,” Winters said. “The state of Missouri has begun accepting licensing requests for recreational marijuana facilities and we need to have our zoning ordinances updated.”
The updates would mirror what the city put in place for medical marijuana facilities a few years ago, Winters said.
“The majority of the regulations that are imposed on these facilities is at the state level and it’s just a matter of us restricting where those places can go, the same restrictions that were put on the medical facilities when they opened,” he said.
Current zoning restricts medical marijuana facilities from being operated within 500 feet of any school, child daycare or church. The phrasing medical would be eliminated and the zoning applied to all marijuana facilities.
The facilities can also not be operated within 100 feet of a residentially zoned district, public park or library.
Hours of operation are limited to 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Proposed rules for signage under Chapter 435 state that, “Advertisements shall not be in a manner that promotes marijuana for recreational purposes or any other use other than medical purposes.”
Proposed rules for signage under Chapter 436 state, “Recreational marijuana facilities shall not use signage or advertising to promote use by minors.”
The existing Chapter 435 relates to marijuana facilities, while Chapter 436 would be an addition specific to recreational marijuana.