Alexandria is working on its medical cannabis regulations in preparation for its approved dispensary.
Alexandria business Nicole Tirella was among the first businesses selected in the state’s license lottery in November. According to Alexandria City Administrator David Plummer, the chosen company is family-owned and is from Connecticut.
“What’s interesting is that they have five shops up there (in Connecticut) already, with three more slated to open in the next three months in that same area,” Plummer said. “They got their start doing medical marijuana, and they’re looking for areas to grow, no pun intended, elsewhere.”
The dispensary will be in the old Truist Bank building located at 7612 Alexandria Pike, next door to a US Bank.
Operating a medical cannabis business becomes legal in Kentucky on Jan. 1, 2025 but Plummer said the city doesn’t have to move as quickly as they initially thought.
“It’s not like opening a new distillery and bottling someone else’s bourbon,” he said. “You can’t do that. They have to grow it in Kentucky in order to sell it. So, by the time they’re able to process it and get it in the supply chain, you’re talking end of year 2025.”
He said the company may not renovate the old bank building until after July or August.
An Alexandria Planning and Zoning Commission meeting was held on Dec. 17, at which the members voted to recommend zoning regulations for cannabis in the city. The Alexandria City Council held a first reading regarding medical cannabis business regulations at its meeting on Dec. 19.
“Not only did it (medical marijuana) pass in Alexandria, all 106 cities and counties that had it on the ballot in Kentucky passed,” Alexandria Mayor Andy Schabell said. “Not one single medical marijuana issue in the state failed back in November. So, I think it’s pretty clear that people have spoken overwhelmingly that they are in favor of medicinal marijuana.”
The planning commission recommended making the dispensaries a conditional use in the highway commercial zone. A conditional use rather than a permitted use means that a business would have to be approved by the board of adjustments, and notice would go out to the public.
The body also recommended putting distance requirements above what the state statute requires.
The city is proposing that a dispensary cannot be within 1,000 feet of an existing dispensary. They also cannot be located within 1,000 feet of a public park, religious assembly facility and sexually oriented businesses. State law already prohibits medical cannabis businesses from operating within 1,000 feet of a daycare or school.
“A dispensary has built into the statute a lot of security,” said Alexandria City Attorney Mike Duncan. “They have to lock it up. It’s a cash business only, and the lottery that was granted in Alexandria is a former bank, so they have a vault.”
The planning commission recommended that other medical cannabis operations, such as cultivators, processors, producers and safety compliance facilities, be located in the industrial park zone. Alexandria has no industrial zones, so a zone change would be required.
Alexandria Planning and Zoning Commissioner Michael McGrath asked if recreational marijuana became legal down the road. Would it fall under the same umbrella as the medicinal regulations, or would they have to revisit the laws?
Principal Planner Campbell County Planning and Zoning Kirk Hunter said that because all of the language specifically states “medicinal,” not recreational, they would have to revisit their laws.
