Brunswick introduces legislation to prohibit marijuana dispensaries in the city

BRUNSWICK — The city introduced an ordinance to prohibit retail marijuana dispensaries within the city during its City Council meeting Monday. Vice Mayor Nick Hanek said Senate Bill 56 proposes changing the tax allocation from 10 percent to 15 percent for marijuana sales with funds going to the state general fund rather than local communities. "The fight in the Legislature is not about taxes coming to us," he said. "It's actually about what percent they will raise the taxes to you on marijuana. There does not appear to be a vehicle at this point that would allow for any local share coming here." Brunswick already prohibits medical marijuana dispensaries. Hanek said he believes there would be "zero tax benefit" to a retail dispensary beyond the typical taxes the city receives from any business opening. "I do not believe Seville, there is a Medina County option for people that's relatively close by, will receive any tax dollars based upon this," he said. "I'd be very surprised that the discussion goes differently from the state, given that the governor and the Legislature are both saying zero." The ordinance would also prohibit recreational marijuana cultivators in the city. Hanek said medical marijuana cultivators are already prohibited. "Cultivators are generally grow houses," he said. "We don't allow grow house operations to begin within the city. (They have) very few jobs and (take up) lots of space. We have very little industrial land." On Monday, Brunswick introduced another ordinance that conditionally permits marijuana processors in areas zoned as the light industrial district. "Processors are jobs with higher-income levels, more jobs," Hanek said. "We're keeping that in line with when we did medical." The next step for both ordinances is to go through the planning commission for a public hearing at a date that has not been determined yet. Then there would be two more readings for each ordinance in front of Brunswick City Council. "One of the things with Issue 2 that everyone voted on was to allow local communities to be able to regulate," he said. "That was one of the things in Issue 2, in addition to other marijuana-related provisions." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.