GA_101719

glencoeanchordaily.com news
the glencoe anchor | October 17, 2019 | 3
9
Zoning amendments recommended to allow sale of recreational pot
Village Board to
make final decision
NEIL MILBERT
Freelance Reporter
Residents of Glencoe
and neighboring communities
came to the Zoning
Commission meeting
on Oct. 7 to express their
sometimes impassioned
opinions on the hot button
issue of allowing recreational
cannabis dispensaries
in the village.
At the conclusion of
the three-hour meeting,
the Zoning Commission
forwarded its non-binding
recommendations to the
Village Board for the final
decision. Prior to making
its decision, the board will
accept feedback during
its public comment portion
of the meeting. The
topic will be discussed no
earlier than Nov. 21 at the
board meeting; however, it
has yet to be finalized, according
to Megan Meyer,
Assistant to the Village
Manager.
“This is not our call,”
Zoning Commission
Chairman Howard Roin
emphasized at the outset.
“The primary reason is for
us to get public comment
and then make a recommendation,
which may or
may not be worth the paper
it is written on. We are being
asked how it should be
regulated if it is allowed.”
The matter was referred
to the Zoning Commission
by the Village Board following
discussions by the
Committee of the Whole
during August and September.
The B2 District
on the border of Winnetka
and the HF District off the
Edens Expressway were
submitted by the Village
Board for consideration.
The law making Illinois
the 11th state to allow recreational
marijuana was
passed during the spring
session of the General Assembly
and signed by Gov.
J.B. Pritzker and will take
effect Jan. 1. Illinois is the
first state to do it through
legislation.
Local governments have
the authority to enact regulations
concerning the time
and place of sales and to
impose a local tax.
The Zoning Commission
meeting began with
a comprehensive slide
presentation by Assistant
Village Manager Sharon
Tanner, during which she
detailed the feedback from
the Village Board and the
recommendations they
were to discuss.
“It’s more restrictive
than liquor regulations but
kind of the same model,”
Village Attorney Stewart
Weiss said.
Purchase, possession
and use is limited to those
21 and older. Consumption
in public, consumption
in vehicles and home
delivery are forbidden,
Weiss said while giving a
synopsis.
Weiss said the board had
“no interest in on-premises
consumption” lounges and
the focus was on dispensaries
that would have a
function similar to that of
liquor stores.
Regardless of whether
or not the Village Board
legalizes recreational cannabis
dispensaries, residents
will be allowed to
purchase products at legal
dispensaries elsewhere
and consume them in their
homes. Driving under the
influence of cannabis will
be considered akin to driving
under the influence of
alcohol.
Although Winnetka and
Highland Park are banning
dispensaries and
craft growers, approval
for amendments to the
Northbrook zoning code
to approve a dispensary
at Skokie Boulevard and
Dundee Road were on
the Oct. 15 agenda of that
neighboring community’s
Plan Commission. Highwood
is considering a
dispensary and Wilmette
will conduct an advisory
referendum on Nov. 3,
2020. Further to the south,
there will be dispensaries
in Evanston, Skokie, Niles
and Lincolnwood.
During the public comment
session, 22 citizens
expressed their opinions
— 15 from of Glencoe,
five from Winnetka, one
from Highland Park and
one from Northfield. Most
were vehemently opposed
to recreational cannabis in
any form.
Karen Citow, a therapist
and drug and alcohol
counselor from Glencoe,
alluded to the classic motion
picture “It’s a Wonderful
Life” in predicting
dire consequences if dispensaries
are allowed.
Please see Cannabis, 14
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