Normal City Council Work Session on Marijuana

NORMAL- Monday evening Normal town council discussed the bill proposed by the state of Illinois regarding recreational marijuana business locations.

The council will vote to either prohibit or allow cultivation centers, infusers and dispensaries within the township of Normal. Businesses would have to operate under a permit or special use process.

Brian Day from the Corporation Counsel expands on where the businesses would be in the community.

“The next steps for the council is to decide whether they want to enact the zoning regulations,” said Day. “If they do, they will formally send it to the Plan Commission who will hold a public hearing. They will review the ordinances and then make a recommendation back to the council.”

The zoning for dispensaries will be in general business districts, the cultivation centers will be in agriculture zones, and infusers and craft growers will be in manufacturing districts.

Day presented the parameters of the state bill including people over the age of 21 could have up to 30 grams on them. Other parameters included anyone over the age of 21 could transport marijuana and anyone with a marijuana medical card can grow plants.

Some challenges discussed at the meeting were how law enforcement would know if college students, over the age of 21, will abide to the bill’s regulation and various tax benefits were discussed.

The council members discussed where state taxes and revenues would be divided into. All proceeds will be going into Illinois’ Cannabis Regulation Fund. Most of the taxes will be going into capital projects and 8% will be going back into law enforcement.

Council member Scott Preston also discussed the possibility of allowing certain types of centers and how they could use distance regulations to opt out of certain businesses. If the council votes for the businesses to set up there will be a 20 mile distance between dispensaries and public schools.

(Catrina Petersen contributed to this story)