Diller extends marijuana ban

Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review

All Rights Reserved

FORT RECOVERY — Medical marijuana will wait at least another six months.

Fort Recovery Village Council learned Monday that village administrator Randy Diller has extended a moratorium on medical marijuana-related businesses for another six months.

Council originally passed an ordinance in October prohibiting the “establishment and operation of medical marijuana cultivators, processors and retail dispensaries” for six months. That ordinance allowed Diller to extend the moratorium for an additional six months if he saw fit. Diller took that action Monday, when the ban would have otherwise ended, extending it through Oct. 3.

The Fort Recovery moratorium came on the heels of the Ohio General Assembly’s passage last year of House Bill 523, which legalized medical marijuana.

Village solicitor Erin Minor explained at the time that the bill establishes the Medical Marijuana Control Program, which will make the rules governing medical marijuana in the state.

“The extension is warranted because the regulations that are going to dictate how this program is supposed to operate haven’t been passed yet,” Minor said Monday. “They’ve got some draft regulations floating around out there, but they haven’t finalized anything.”

Several other municipalities in the area, including St. Henry and Coldwater, passed similar ordinances. If Fort Recovery would like to extend the moratorium beyond Oct. 3, council would have to pass another ordinance.

“We’ll wait till the rules are ready,” Diller said. “If something we to happen between now and October and they come up with the final rules and we decide there’s a path we want to take, we don’t have to wait till October to do it.”

“At this point it’s prudent to just continue the moratorium until we know exactly how this program is going to work,” added Minor. “We don’t at this point.”

In other business, council members Dave Bretz, Erik Fiely, Dave Garman, Scott Pearson, Cliff Wendel and Al Post:

•Were reminded that the annexation property along Ohio 49 on the south side of the village will be finalized Wednesday. Residents should be aware that there will be changes in speed limits in conjunction with the annexation. Council is expected to vote to accept the annexation of property on First Street near Wabash Road at its April 17 meeting.

Also, water lines have been installed along Sharpsburg Road in another section that was recently annexed.

•Learned signs for the recreational trail at Community Park should be ready this week. Expression swings have also come in and will be installed as Mother Nature allows. Minor is preparing to apply for grant funding for new fencing at the park as well.

•Amended its ordinance regarding utility vehicles, such as golf carts, requiring that inspection stickers be placed in the window of the driver’s side of the vehicle.

•Heard a reminder that Monday’s park board meeting will begin with a park tour at 6 p.m. to be followed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m.

•Transferred $480 to the cemetery perpetual care fund from the general fund.