MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP — Mifflin Township trustees voted unanimously to ban the commercial sale, cultivation and processing of recreational marijuana on Monday night.
Trustees called a special meeting following conversations with PharmaCann leadership and property owners at Interstate 71’s exit 176.
PharmaCann’s chief investment officer Greg Fodell said the company was interested in buying a property on Crider Road at the exit to build a cannabis dispensary. PharmaCann currently operates medical dispensaries in Buckeye Lake and Monroe, Ohio, as well as a cultivation facility in Licking County.
Monday’s special meeting was less than one week after trustees heard from residents arguing for and against allowing a dispensary at exit 176 off Interstate 71.
“There’s a lot of unknowns here,” said trustee chair John Jaholnycky.
“I spoke to our county auditor Pat Dropsey, and we didn’t know the numbers. I reached out to PharmaCann and they couldn’t substantiate what the township would get if we allowed this because we haven’t had recreational sales in our state before.”
About 16 people attended the meeting Monday to speak before trustees voted on the issue.
Some attendees questioned the trustees about plans for sewer and water connectivity at the exit.
“That would be county sewer, so we don’t have control over that,” said trustee Tim Deel. “We’ve had some companies say we’d consider developing that area in partnership with a property owner.
“We can try lobbying the county to get development there, and we’ve looked into that. The problem is the cost — no party could take on that infrastructure project by themselves.”
Trustee Matt Cook said he would be open to revisiting the cannabis sales ban later.
“Maybe a year from now, if Mansfield says they don’t have any problems, then we can revisit it,” Cook said.
“A resolution doesn’t have to be forever. Mansfield has their own police department, so they can monitor things better than we can out here. If we voted to allow this now, I fear it would be hard to close that box.”
Fodell told Richland Source in a July 3 phone call that some communities report a crime reduction after a dispensary opens.
“Because we have thorough security and we don’t allow smoking on site, a lot of host communities see a decrease in crime when one of our facilities opens,” he said. “I can’t think off the top of my head of us ever having a security incident.”
Mifflin zoning commission also opposes dispensary
John Valentine, a Crider Road resident and member of the Mifflin zoning commission board, noted that the zoning commission board recommended against a dispensary in the township.
“In order to submit this to the trustees, we had to have a unanimous vote, and we did,” Valentine said.
“It matches what Madison did, it quotes the Ohio Revised Code and it’s very logical the way it’s approached.”
According to the Richland County Board of Elections, Mifflin Township recorded 1,203 votes for Issue 2 and 1,202 votes against it.
Cook said all of the trustees received multiple calls and emails about a dispensary from both sides.
“There were a few who told me they voted for it, but they didn’t want it here,” he said. “Their thoughts were you should be allowed to do it, but I don’t want it in my area.”
Municipalities voting against cannabis-related businesses does not affect a resident’s right to consume or grow marijuana on their own property, according to Ohio Revised Code regulations.
Legal consumption is limited to 21 and older for recreational users.
According to Ohio Revised Code, dispensaries are currently prohibited within 500 feet of a school, church, public library or public park.
The Division of Cannabis Control started accepting dual-use license applications in June. The state has issued provisional licenses for recreation sale and must start approving or denying official certificates by Sept. 7.