Litchfield prohibits cannabis operations in the township

LITCHFIELD TWP. — The Litchfield Township Board of Trustees passed a resolution to prohibit cannabis operators, cultivators, processors and retail dispensaries within the township during a special meeting on Thursday. Chairman Dennis Horvath said the meeting was held because someone who is interested in cannabis operations contacted the township. "I don't know if they were just testing the waters with us to see what the township policy was, but I also understand that other townships have been receiving calls from people who want to put marijuana dispensaries into the townships," he said. On April 24, 2017, the trustees passed a similar resolution for medical marijuana, which prohibited growing, processing and retail sale, Trustee Mike Pope said. Mike Lyons from the Medina County Prosecutor's Office suggested the trustees go forward with an additional resolution, so there would be no ambiguity on the township's stance on the matter. "Cultivating and using it in their homes or whatever they do in their personal homes is their business," Pope said. "This would be so we wouldn't have any dispensaries or growing facilities. I don't think that would be good for the township, and I think most of the people in the township would not want that." Horvath agreed with Pope and said it is something the township should prohibit, at least for now. "In five years or so, if some new board comes in, and they say 'Hey, we want it,' then they can do that, and they can come in here," Horvath said. "They can change it, and they could allow it, but I think right now, at this time, too much is unknown about it." Since the resolution is just a piece of legislation rather than a zoning issue, it will not go to the township's zoning board, he said. Townships are allowed to prohibit or limit the amount of cannabis operations within their borders. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.