La Plata, MD – Medical marijuana will be on the table when the Charles County Planning Commission meets Monday, Dec. 7 in La Plata.
“The issue will go before the planning commission, who will draft the regulation,” said Charles County Administrator Michael Mallinoff. “The staff has prepared a presentation and a slide show. Then the ordinance review will go before the county commissioners.”
Mallinoff stated that he doesn’t expect the process to take an inordinate amount of time to finalize.
“The purpose of the zoning text amendment is to allow for the processing and dispensing of medical cannabis in select zoning districts, permitted with conditions,” Aimee Dailey of the Charles County Planning Division stated in the report to be presented Dec. 7.
In 2013, the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Cannabis Commission (MCC) was created within the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to implement Maryland’s Medical Cannabis legislation. Regulations were adopted and became effective Sept. 14. Medical cannabis, as regulated by the MCC, generally refers to medical cannabis concentrates or infused products that have been created and intended for use as medical treatment for specified medical conditions. These conditions include, but may not be limited to: chronic diseases resulting in hospice care, cachexia, anorexia, wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, glaucoma, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Growers, processors and dispensaries will be required to be licensed by the MCC. Additionally, recommending physicians and patients will be required to be registered with the MCC.
While the MCC serves as the primary licensing and registration authority, it is left to local jurisdictions to determine within which zoning districts the associated uses (growing, processing and dispensing) may be located. Fees associated with local land use approvals may be collected by the local jurisdiction.
This fall, the MCC accepted applications for growers, processors, and dispensaries, with a deadline of Nov. 6. A total of 882 applications were accepted by the deadline: 705 dispensary applications; 102 grower applications; and 75 processing applications. It is unknown, at this time, how many of these applications represent Charles County.
In early 2016, the MCC will issue pre-approvals for the three associated uses. From the date of pre-approval, an applicant will have 365 days to meet local land use requirements and become fully operational. A maximum of 15 grower licenses within the state will be granted by the Commission. A total of two dispensary licenses may be granted per Senatorial district. There are two Senatorial districts within Charles County.
On Oct. 6, planning staff briefed the Charles County Commissioners regarding medical cannabis and potential opportunities to amend the zoning ordinance. The commissioners voted unanimously to direct staff to move forward with the zoning text amendment process. The commissioners also requested that staff include the Charles County Sheriff’s Office in the review process.
Additionally, information was requested regarding the potential economic impact of allowing medical cannabis processing and dispensaries within Charles County. Finally, feedback from this briefing led planning staff to remove the special exception requirement from the amendment and allow processing and dispensaries to be permitted with conditions. On Oct. 19, planning staff briefed the planning commission to introduce potential zoning text amendment opportunities associated with medical cannabis.
Planning commission members expressed concerns regarding safety and staffing at the sheriff’s office.
The zoning text amendment was routed to Mallinoff’s office, the Charles County Attorney’s Office, the Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services, the Department of Economic Development and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
Comments received from these departments will be reviewed and conveyed in the upcoming public hearing presentation Dec. 7.
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com