Medical Marijuana Zoning Ordinance Moves Forward In Newtown Twp

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — Rules that designate where medical marijuana dispensaries and grower/processors can exist in the zoning jointure that includes Newtown Township, Upper Makefield and Wrightstown are moving foward.

The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday authorized the jointure to advertise an ordinance that sets guidelines for where the two types of uses would be permitted to set up shop in the jointure.

As Newtown Township Solicitor David Sander explained during the meeting, the state legislature has recently enacted legislation that requires all municipalities provide zoning for medical marijuana dispensaries and medical marijuana grower/processors. Dispensaries should be treated as a commercial use, and processors should be treated as manufacturing uses, the state law says.

Under the proposed ordinance that will be advertised, provided the Wrightstown and Upper Makefield boards agree, dispensaries could only be located in the "Village Commercial" zone in Upper Makefield.

Grower processors would have to be located in Newtown Township's "Light Industrial" district. Under the ordinance, grower/processors must be located 1,000 feet or more away from a school.

Sander assured the board that tight laws are in place at the state level to regulate both processors and dispensaries. "If you thought the state liquor program was strict...this makes that look like a tot lot. The state legislation on medical marijuana is extremely strict. It's very expensive to apply for a license let alone get one," he said.

The zoning would be permitted by conditional use.

A hearing date has not yet been set.

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