At their June City Council meeting, Crescent Springs joined the conversation about medical cannabis facilities sweeping across the Northern Kentucky area.
As former council member Bill Schult has moved out of the city, a seat needs to be filled. The city of Crescent Springs ultimately decided not to make any further decisions regarding medical cannabis until the seat is filled. Applicants for the position are being taken now, and the council will decide at its July meeting.
Medical cannabis will be legal in Kentucky starting Jan. 1, 2025. Each city is faced with a few options regarding medical cannabis: allowing facilities, not allowing them, or sending the decision to the ballot for residents to vote on.
“I think that there are some wins in it for the city as far as increased revenue,” said Mayor Mike Daugherty. “The distractions from that are they still don’t have all the rules regulated as to how they’re going to manage it and where the businesses will be, we already have a high traffic issue in that area.”
The council did vote on an ordinance that would send the decision to the ballot, but it ended with a “no” on the reading. Because the council felt that they were underrepresented without a sixth member, they decided not to continue with any other readings until the seat was filled.
According to the Office of Medical Cannabis, they will be accepting applications for licenses between July 1 and Aug. 31.
Local governments have until Jan. 1 to take action on whether they want to allow businesses to operate in their cities and counties. But, if they want to allow enough time for residents to petition their decision and get it on the November ballot, Sharmili Reddy, the executive director of Planning and Development Services of Kenton County, said local governments need to act soon. The petition has to be certified by the county clerk by Aug. 13 in order to go on the November ballot.
The next council meeting will take place on July 22 at 6 p.m. At the Crescent Springs at 739 Buttermilk Pike.