Benton Twp. trustees to vote on allowing recreational marijuana

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Changes could soon be coming to a local marijuana ordinance.

Benton Township trustees on Tuesday introduced amendments to its existing medical marijuana ordinances which would allow for recreational marijuana to be grown and sold at provisioning centers within the township.

Businesses would be required to operate within specifically-designated industrial and heavy industrial-zoned districts away from schools, churches and other commercial businesses.

The township used its existing ordinance as the basis for its proposed recreational rules, which include rules surrounding hours, smell and other changes.

“In order to allow the marijuana uses that have been laid out, the zoning ordinance needed to be changed in a way that allowed the uses in the zoning district in which the planning commission is making recommendation to allow,” said Township Building Official Chris Fuchs, to the board. “On the medical side, there was a sense that we needed to tighten up where the testing facilities and the secure transporters were located to push them into the restricted industrial district. …

“The planning commission worked very hard to bring this to a form where they could put it in front of you in the form of a resolution.”

Retailers will only be allowed on the portion of Pipestone Avenue south of I-94 zoned as a heavy industrial district. Consumption lounges, microbusinesses and drive-through facilities are still prohibited.

The board will likely vote on the resolution at its next regular meeting April 18. Changes to the ordinance can also be made at that time.