Dexter Village Council Extends Medical Marijuana Moratorium

The Dexter Village Council voted unanimously Monday to extend its moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries another 120 days to give it more time to properly develop an ordinance.

The moratorium, which was set to expire next week, will expire on July 19 with the promise that the village would reach out to its neighboring townships (Dexter, Lima, Scio and Webster) with the possibility of coordinating a regional zoning ordinance.

The medical marijuana ordinance has been discussed by village council since last August, long before any of its surrounding townships considered the topic. Trustee Paul Cousins expressed frustration at how long the process has been drawn out.

“How long are we waiting around until (the other townships) get their ducks in a row while we have already made progress here?” Cousins said. “We’re going to be delayed with this moratorium when we could have had a vote here maybe within a month.”

Trustee Jim Smith said after attending a recent seminar on the topic, he does not want to rush the council's vote until more information is available.

“It’s in everyone’s best interest to get the boards together and make this a true joint venture,” Smith said.

Trustee Donna Fisher was also in favor of meeting with nearby municipalities.

“I can’t see a downside to working with your neighbors,” she said. “The (Dexter Village) Planning Commission has done such a good job making recommendations on this that I think they would like to know what we know.”

In January, the planning commission approved amendments that would allow for medical marijuana dispensaries in the special land use zones in the village.

Trustee Jim Carson also expressed frustration on the lack of a decision by council.

“(The townships) have completely different issues than we have,” Carson said. “We need to approach this from the standpoint of managing dispensaries. Their concern is going to be cultivation centers, not dispensaries turning up on commercial land or being close to schools. They are going to be thinking about farmlands possibly turning into marijuana fields (through greenhouses).”

Council President Shawn Keough said he was still unclear on what a joint venture between the village and the townships entailed, whether it be for enforcement purposes or a shared ordinance, but would try to spearhead a meeting among the township boards later this month.