Sharmili Reddy, the executive director of Kenton County Planning and Development Services, informed the Kenton County Mayors Group on Saturday that the county was in the process of drawing up model zoning regulations for cities when planning for the impending legalization of medical cannabis, which begins in 2025.
“Sometime in March, early April, you will receive information from us on how to proceed with zoning regulations, should you choose to do that as it relates to medical cannabis,” Reddy said.
2023’s Senate Bill 47 enabled the regulation of medical marijuana statewide and established the administration of such regulation under the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The state is responsible for issuing certifications to businesses and professionals to grow, sell and prescribe cannabis, but cities are free to allow or prohibit the establishment of such businesses however they see fit. Municipalities would exercise this power through zoning regulations.
“There are a lot of philosophies in the county about medical cannabis and whether you want to allow it,” Reddy said. “We are not getting in the middle of that; that’s up to you and your communities to decide.”
Reddy said that, although the county isn’t getting involved with decisions on a local level, they would have something ready as a template in case some municipalities did want to allow zoning for growing sites, dispensaries, processing facilities and testing facilities, which are the four types of businesses regulated under the bill.
Cities can choose to prohibit medical cannabis, but such a prohibition would be subject to a recall election if enough signatures are gathered from local residents.