STUART — Sales of recreational marijuana would be prohibited in downtown and other places to be determined if city commissioners pass a set of proposed restrictions at their next meeting.
The law would prohibit pot smoking in public parks, recreational areas such as the Riverwalk and the downtown area. Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to give the legislation final consideration Oct. 14.
The city is trying to regulate the location of dispensaries before Nov. 5, when Amendment 3 goes before voters statewide. The commission earlier this year suggested restricting dispensaries to U.S. 1.
“I actually don’t like the idea of putting them all on” U.S. 1, said Mayor Campbell Rich. “I’d like them to have the ability to be a little more concealed off the beaten path.”
People would drive through town and think Stuart “is a very high community,” he said.
Who could buy pot
City officials expect Amendment 3 to pass, giving people 21 and older the opportunity to buy recreational pot in Florida. It’s showing more than 60% support in nearly all polls city officials have seen, the officials said.
Where sales could be banned
Members of the Local Planning Agency on Sept. 12 suggested dispensaries be kept at least 2,500 feet from schools and from each other.
City staff has reviewed that option as well as keeping recreational pot businesses 2,500 feet from both churches and schools, but enacting those restrictions would ban recreational marijuana sales from nearly the entire city, they found.
City staff suggested a wide area where sales of recreational pot would be prohibited. The area covered downtown and extended along East Ocean Boulevard to Palm Beach Road, an area Commissioner Christopher Collins wanted to change.
“I would like this to extend to at least Monterey” Road, Collins said. “And I like the idea of 2,500 feet from schools and churches.”
Why the proactive effort
If Amendment 3 is approved, downtown businesses could start making application as soon as the law allows, “and once they’re grandfathered in there’s no undoing that,” said Ben Hogarth, city community affairs liaison.
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Stuart is trying to get something on the books before that happens, he said
The first businesses likely to sell recreational cannabis are existing medical marijuana dispensaries, city officials have said. Six dispensaries already are located in the city, according to officials.
Keith Burbank is TCPalm’s watchdog reporter covering Martin County. He can be reached at [email protected] and at 720-288-6882.
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