2019/09/23 - Mayor's Column: Update On the Sale of Recreational Cannabis
“An Open Door to O’Fallon”
A Weekly Note from Mayor Herb Roach
As you all most likely know by now, the consumption and possession of recreational cannabis becomes legal in Illinois on January 1, 2020. While the law does not grant local residents the ability to control the consumption or possession of cannabis, it does allow local populations to decide whether or not they want to allow the sale, grow, or manufacturing of recreational cannabis within their community.
The O’Fallon City Council has been discussing this option since the law was passed three months ago. During this deliberation, the City Council took the time to have several open meetings to discuss this issue and to get input from our citizens.
During these discussions they heard many pros and cons about the use of cannabis, the possible impact(s) on the City, the possible economic impact, the possible impact on quality of life, and more. The Council heard from individuals that supported the sale of recreational cannabis, those who opposed it, some who wanted to open recreation cannabis related facilities, doctors and more.
The Illinois Municipal League recommended that all communities have an initial determination in place prior to the start of the application filing period for recreational cannabis dispensary licenses, which starts in October.
The City Council, in a vote of 13 to 1 decided to pass an Ordinance prohibited the sale of recreational cannabis within the City of O’Fallon. Other communities that have decided to prohibit the sales of recreational cannabis within their boundaries are Naperville, Bolingbrook, Wheaton, and others.
The approved ordinance does three things:
- Prohibits the sale of recreational cannabis within City limits.
- Allows the Council time to establish language for a vote by our citizens in the March 2020 election whether they support or oppose the sale of recreational cannabis within City limits.
- Has a 6-month sunset provision which allows the Council to review more material and the election results in order to make an informed vote to allow the sale of recreational cannabis within City limits.
I believe the Council has been very thorough in their deliberations, their gathering of information and gaining public input.
These new laws are extremely complex and can have significant impact on communities. Many very knowledgeable Attorneys on this subject say it may be years and many court cases before final interpretations are determined.
Our Council is not just looking at the possible dollars but also the possible impact on the safety and quality of life for O’Fallon Citizens.
As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open!