Politics & Government
Plainfield Approves Medical Marijuana Zoning Change
A dispensary and cultivation center have expressed interest in coming to the village, official says.
Despite one trustee's continued opposition, Plainfield trustees on Monday voted to approve a zoning amendment that would allow a medical marijuana dispensary and cultivation within the village.
Under the amended ordinance, dispensaries and cultivation centers would be allowed in areas with industrial (I-1 and I-2) zoning or B-3 (highway business district) zoning.
Planner Michael Garrigan told trustees that Patient's Health Center, a dispensary, and Green Point Botanical, a cultivation company, have both approached the village about coming to Plainfield, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The non-profit Mother Earth Holistic Health, which says it is "dedicated to supporting patients rights, as well as advocating for the safe access to medical cannabis for the patients of Illinois," has already set up shop in downtown Plainfield at 24047 W. Lockport St.
Garrett Peck was the only trustee to vote against the ordinance change, maintaining that medical marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
Fellow trustee Dan Rippy once again pointed out that the village has little say in regulating marijuana cultivation and dispensaries.
"The village is very limited in what we can do as far as regulating or restructing these facilities under state law," Rippy said. "In fact, state law doesn't allow us to restrict them at alll."
Trustee Bill Lamb said the zoning ordinance is the village's only means of exercising control over medical marijuana cultivation and dispensing in Plainfield.
"We're not saying we want this in town," Lamb said. "It's not approval of the idea of having pot in town. But this is our only mechanism for controlling it, and we're doing our best to do just that."
Dispensing and cultivation are highly regulated by the state under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act. The act allows people with illnesses including cancer, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and HIV can obtain an ID card that would allow them to purchase small amounts of medical marijuana.
State law allows for 60 distribution centers for medical marijuana throughout the state — including a maximum of three in Will County and one in Kendall County.
Watch video of Monday's meeting on the Village of Plainfield's YouTube channel.
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