Up to three recreational marijuana dispensaries could soon become a reality in Naperville if City Council members approve a zoning ordinance for the dispensaries at their Aug. 18 meeting.
The City Council is expected to take final action on the zoning ordinance for the dispensaries, which as written would allow for up to three within city limits with parameters they be located certain distances from each other, schools and residential areas of town.
The ordinance was written to be in effect upon approval, so if it’s approved Aug. 18, dispensary businesses can submit plans to the city immediately, City Attorney Mike DiSanto said.
And businesses are already working to find space in Naperville.
The city has one medical marijuana dispensary, 3C Naperville Dispensary at 1700 Quincy Ave., which is expected to convert to a dispensary that sells medical and recreational cannabis. That leaves room for two additional companies to come in to sell recreational pot in the city.
“There have been a couple different companies,” Chirico said, and “they have looked at specific locations.”
But those spots aren’t being made public yet as companies are vying to get the location they want.
Approval could mean good economic news in what’s been an uncertain financial period for towns across the state as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hurt local businesses and municipal tax revenue.
Almost $61 million in recreational pot was sold in Illinois in July and $300.1 million since January, when sales became legal in the state. Municipalities that allow dispensaries to open can collect up to a 3% tax on sales. Naperville in April approved a 3% tax on its sales.
Chirico said the city has been told that according to information from an Illinois cannabis market study, the city of Naperville could bring in $1 million annually from recreational sales.
“It’s not going to replace the lost tax, but it’s certainly going to help,” Chirico said.
The zoning ordinance only needs a 5-4 vote for approval, and Chirico said it seems like everyone is pretty locked into where they stand at this point. He said he will be voting in favor of the zoning proposal, and expects there will be enough votes to approve it.
Under the proposed zoning ordinance, recreational marijuana dispensaries would be permitted in some areas of the city including some sections of the city zoned for business; areas zoned for office, commercial and institutional space; health services districts; industrial districts and research and development districts. Dispensaries would have to be 1,000 feet from primary and secondary schools, 250 feet from residential properties, and 1,500 feet from existing dispensaries.
Some residents and council members argue the businesses should require a conditional use permit, which would require each application to come before the City Council for deliberation. The extra step would create more transparency, they’ve said.
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“I do support the conditional use,” said Councilwoman Patty Gustin. “I think the more transparency you can give to the public and the businesses is important, particularly with COVID and kids going back to school, and then not going back to school, and people concerned about their health and so many other things … I don’t think it hurts at all to be able to make sure we have some gauge to make sure we’re double-checking, and the conditional use does that.”
Chirico did not agree.
“If we were to go conditional use, it’s not going to change any of (council members’) votes,” Chirico said at the Tuesday City Council meeting. “We’re sort of all negotiating against ourselves.”
Plus, there’s already been plenty of discussion and information on the topic, Chirico said Friday.
More than 400 members of the public, some for and some against, spoke on the topic of recreational marijuana sales in multiple meetings from July through September 2019, city documents show. Naperville voters in March answered a non-binding referendum question on whether or not they thought recreational pot should be sold in the city.
A majority of people voted in favor of the recreational pot sales, and city staff followed up with a zoning ordinance for the businesses.
“I think we’re in a really good place. This process was long,” Chirico said. “I think ultimately where we’re at, it’s a good spot.”