Lincolnwood officials are continuing to examine whether to eventually permit marijuana sales within the village, and their focus is shifting to possible locations for dispensaries.
At their July 20 meeting, Village Board of Trustees remanded a proposed ordinance amending the village’s zoning laws back to the Plan Commission for further examination. Earlier in the month, the Plan Commission unanimously recommended a series of regulations for dispensaries, forwarding them to the Village Board with the village staff signing off on the suggestions.
Village Board trustees requested that the Plan Commission refine the areas where the use would be permissible, as well as the manner in which a license could be granted.
“It allows us to identify areas where the use would be tolerable,” Village President Jesal Patel said at the meeting.
Patel said based on feedback from both the public and trustees, he does not want the dispensaries around schools, the Lincoln Avenue municipal campus or the nearby Proesel Park, which effectively would rule out any location on Lincoln Avenue.
“Everywhere on Lincoln Avenue is immediately adjacent to residential,” Patel said.
Patel said the manufacturing business district, where portions border on Touhy and Devon Avenues, are the “least problematic.”
Trustees also asked staff to create a path toward allowing use without a special use permit being necessary for the dispensary owners. Patel believes with the creation of an “overlay district,” the owners of any dispensary would have an understanding of the regulation awaiting them in Lincolnwood, as well as possible locations for their businesses, in an overall attempt to have clarity on what would be expected and required from the owners.
“By taking away areas where we know there are going to be problems, or what the problems are going to be, it is easier to make it a permitted use,” Patel said after the meeting. “In my experience, any business use which is adjacent to a residential district that comes for public hearing is more than likely going to have public opposition within the first few moments.”
However, trustee Atour Sargon expressed preference for a special use permit process.
“I like the idea of a special hearing allowing the public to provide feedback to the Village Board and the Plan Commission to direct owners,” she said.
Village Attorney Steven Elrod recommended a plan with a licensing process requiring Village Board action, similar to the existing liquor license acquisition procedures.
Trustee Craig Klatzco expressed interest in the dispensaries, referring to a projected $380,000 in revenue that could come into the village coffers through an imposition of a municipal tax.
“We have areas in town where it would be a great use. The bottom line is it is a lot of money. That money generated is going to help our financial end. If other people are paying our bills, I like that,” Klatzco said.
The Plan Commission is scheduled to hear the matter again on Sept. 1 and it could return to the Village Board later that month, according to Community Development Director Scott Mangum.
