Kenton County is looking to prohibit cannabis businesses countywide in a similar move to neighboring Campbell and Boone counties.
At a fiscal court meeting on Tuesday, June 11, Kenton County conducted the first reading of an ordinance that would prohibit cannabis businesses within the county’s territorial limits.
“It is our first reading relating to the prohibition of cannabis business operations in Kenton County,” Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann said. “This is the opting out of medical cannabis.”
Campbell County voted to opt out of the legislation at a fiscal court meeting on June 5. Boone County is in the process of deciding whether or not to opt-out. The county conducted a first reading of a prohibition ordinance during a caucus meeting on May 21. Boone County will make an official decision on June 18. If cities within those counties decide to allow cannabis-related businesses, though, they will still be allowed to operate within city limits.
Medical cannabis will be legal across the Bluegrass State effective Jan. 1, 2025. Each individual city is responsible for creating the zoning regulations to make way or not allow those types of businesses to operate.
Cities must have those regulations in place by June 30 so the state can begin issuing licenses. If those businesses start operations, they will be grandfathered against any future regulation.
Action has already been taken at city council meetings across Northern Kentucky. On June 13, Taylor Mill conducted a first reading of an ordinance that would prevent medical cannabis facilities from opening in the city. In Boone County, Florence is currently reviewing whether to allow cannabis businesses within its limits.
Each city is also responsible for creating zoning regulations to make way for (or not allow) those types of businesses to operate.
At a Fort Mitchell city council meeting, Sharmili Reddy, the executive director of Planning and Development Services of Kenton County, gave a presentation in which she discussed the cannabis business application process.
“If they get more applications than the licenses they want to issue, there will be a lottery,” Reddy said during a previous presentation. “Based on this timeline, the earliest it will be is this fall before we will see the first set of licenses issued.”
Local governments have until Jan. 1 to decide whether to allow businesses to operate in their cities and counties. If they want to allow residents enough time to petition their decision and get it on the November ballot, Reddy said local governments need to act soon. The petition must be certified by the county clerk by Aug. 13 in order to go on the November ballot.
If a county opts not to let businesses operate, but a city within that county opts in, the bill allows businesses to operate within that city’s jurisdictional boundaries.
Up to 10 licenses for cannabis processors and up to 48 licenses for dispensaries will be issued across Kentucky. Those licenses will be issued in 11 regions across the Commonwealth. License applications will be accepted between July 1 and Aug. 31 according to the Office of Medical Cannabis.
Each region will initially be granted at least four dispensary licenses, but no more than one dispensary can be located in each county – the only exceptions being Kentucky’s two largest counties, Jefferson and Fayette.
“If the cities want to take individual action to be proactive, they can do that,” Knochelmann said.
The Kenton County Fiscal Court’s next meeting is slated for June 25 at 5:30 p.m.