Walton isn’t likely to join other Kentucky cities in allowing medical cannabis operations within its city limits next year.
At a meeting Tuesday evening, the city council unanimously voted to approve a first reading of a measure prohibiting cannabis business operations in Walton. The city will miss the first phase of cannabis testing facilities and dispensaries that are legally allowed to open in the state beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
According to councilmember Dan Martin, the decision was made because of concern that the city’s water and sewer capacity, which is already struggling to keep up with Walton’s steadily increasing growth, would not be able to support new cannabis operations.
“I feel like most of Council is in support of medical cannabis,” said Martin. “[But] if a large operation wanted to come in, we couldn’t stop that, and we’re just worried about water supply.”
While the measure will likely be approved following its second reading at next month’s meeting, the city is keeping its mind open to revisiting the decision in the future.
“When Kentucky is doing this first phase of medical cannabis, we will not be included, but what I think will happen in every other state is in a couple years down the road, it’ll be recreational, and we can always revisit this down the line,” said Martin.