Wheaton To Hold Public Meeting On Cannabis Sales

WHEATON, IL -- Wheaton city officials have planned a public hearing centered around a text amendment that would prohibit the sale of cannabis in the city. The hearing, planned for Aug. 26, comes just over two months after Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a law to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana throughout the state.

The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, includes a clause that permits units of local government to "enact ordinances to prohibit or significantly limit a cannabis business establishment's location." Wheaton's Aug. 26 meeting will discuss a proposed zoning ordinance text amendments that would ban businesses that sell cannabis in any zoning district in the city.

The draft of Wheaton's text amendment states that the "Corporate Authorities of the City of Wheaton deem it in the best interest of public health, safety, and welfare" that "cannabis business establishments" be prohibited within city limits. The state law defines "cannabis business establishments" not only as places that will sell recreational marijuana, but also as "a cultivation center, craft grower, processing organization, dispensing organization, or transporting organization."

The public hearing is planned for Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. as part of the regular city council meeting.