Public Hearings Held Tuesday On Medical Marijuana, Sewer Increase

The Bourbon Planning & Zoning Commission held public hearings Tuesday on the medical marijuana zoning and the city council held a hearing over a sewer rate increase.

Planning and zoning will also hold a public hearing on changing a property at 475 Jost Street from R-1 residential to C-1 commercial.

A resident there intends to operate a mechanic shop. The city has told the resident not to continue until a zoning change has been approved.

The sewer rate will increase by 10 cents per 100 gallons.

Medical Marijuana

Once the zoning is approved, it will define medical marijuana, usage, cultivation, cultivation facilities, cultivation identification cards and more.

Medical marijuana usage is expected to begin next month. Around 22,000 patients have been approved by the state for medical marijuana cards.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has scheduled a rollout of issuances that will lead up to the beginning of sales.

Missouri municipalities have been preparing for the introduction of medical marijuana by updating zoning laws.

Bourbon’s ordinance is similar to others that have been passed across the state.

It defines non-retail medical marijuana facilities and sets the spacing requirements for usage. Usage cannot occur within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, secondary school, day care facility or church.

If a medical marijuana facility is part of a larger structure like an office building or strip mall, the distance between that and schools, day cares and churches will be measured from their respective property lines to the facility’s entrance.

Measurement must include the shortest path between the two points.

Limits and restrictions on outdoor operations and storage, odor control and nuisance, onsite usage and hours of operation will be set from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

Closed Session

As of Friday, the city’s agenda for the final meeting of 2019 included a closed session to interview a police department applicant.

At the city’s November meeting the board approved the hire of Nick Holtz.