Dayton is amending its zoning in anticipation of medical cannabis facilities possibly opening in the city.
The proposed ordinance, which had a first reading on Tuesday evening, would make changes to the city’s zoning regulations for liquor, vaping and medical cannabis businesses.
The first part of the proposed ordinance, City Administrator Jay Fossett said, is to amend the code and disallow vape and liquor stories from the Central Business District and only allow them in the Neighborhood Commercial District.
“We’ve decided they are not appropriate there in the Central Business District,” said Fossett.
The changes will not affect businesses that are already in the district.
The second part deals with the issue of cannabis operations within the city. State regulations require cities that approve the facilities to create zoning ordinances to accommodate those businesses.
Dayton voted in June to allow medical facilities within the city. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, operations of these facilities will be legal in Kentucky.
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, medical cannabis will be legal in Kentucky. Local governments are responsible for creating zoning regulations to make way for (or not allow) those types of businesses to operate. There were a total of 2,650 medical cannabis facility applications submitted throughout the state. The initial cannabis business license application period is currently closed, and the state was set to decide on applications and, if necessary, hold a lottery for the licenses. Each region will initially be granted at least four dispensary licenses, but no more than one dispensary can be located in each county. Learn more and find out what your municipality decided to do regarding medical cannabis facilities here.
The state of medical cannabis in Northern Kentucky
State regulations prohibit medical cannabis businesses within 1000 feet of a school or daycare, which puts restrictions on where they can go within the various zoning districts.
Due to a daycare center in the Neighborhood Commercial district, Fossett said, only a small portion of the district could accommodate one of these businesses.
There is a small area in the city’s Central Business District and Industrial Zone where facilities could possibly go as well, Fossett said, although about half of that zone includes the high school, so space for those businesses would be strictly limited in that zone as well.
The ordinance will be voted on next month.