Kenton County is prohibiting cannabis businesses countywide following similar moves from neighboring Campbell and Boone counties.
At a meeting on Tuesday, July 9, the Kenton County Fiscal Court conducted the second reading of an ordinance that would prohibit cannabis businesses within the county’s territorial limits. The first reading took place on June 11.
“This will allow cities to proactively opt-in, but this will also allow everyone else to stay out if they choose to,” Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann said during the meeting.
Knochelmann explained that the county’s rationale was to give each city ample time to make its own judgments.
So far, the city councils of Crescent Springs and Independence have voted to put the issue on the November ballot. Taylor Mill moved to prohibit medical cannabis businesses from opening in the city. Erlanger and Independence are also in the process of establishing zoning regulations for medical cannabis businesses in the city.
“It will be on the ballot,” Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman said during a meeting on July 1. “In preparation for it, if it passes, we wanted to go ahead and get the ball rolling on the zoning.”
Covington, the most populous city in Kenton County, has not yet taken any legislative action regarding the regulation of cannabis businesses.
Campbell County was the first in Northern Kentucky to opt out of the legislation during a fiscal court meeting on June 5. Boone County followed not long after, opting out during a fiscal court meeting on June 21.
The legalization of medical cannabis in Kentucky came about on March 31, 2023, when Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 47 into law. The law enabled the regulation of medical marijuana statewide and established the administration of such regulation under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the newly established Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program.
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. Kentucky state law requires each individual city to create zoning regulations to allow or prohibit those types of businesses from operating.
If cities within those counties decide to allow cannabis-related businesses, though, they will still be allowed to operate within city limits.
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. The petition must be certified by the county clerk by Aug. 13 in order to go on the November ballot.
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 from now through 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.
