Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jul 2014
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Page: 8
Copyright: 2014 Sun-Times Media, LLC
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/5QwXAJWY
Website: http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Becky Schlikerman
Note: Contributing Fran Spielman

MEDICAL POT JOINTS COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

New Zoning Rules Allow Dispensaries All Through City, Not Just Fringes

Chicago medical marijuana dispensaries are likely coming to busy
shopping areas, despite the city's initial attempt to hide them away
at the edges of the city.

That means a medical marijuana dispensary could potentially open next
door to a tony restaurant on Randolph Street or in River North near
touristy fast food joints, according to new zoning regulations
approved Tuesday by the Chicago City Council's Committee on Zoning,
Landmarks and Building Standards.

Essentially, most business and commercial strips are fair
game.

"You could have [a dispensary] right next door as long as the zoning
is applicable," Zoning Administrator Patti Scudiero said.

But dispensaries, which could be located throughout the city, won't be
allowed in any building that is used as a residence.

And entrepreneurs will have to seek special-use permits, which would
trigger a public hearing before the city's Zoning Board of Appeals
where area residents could object, identify the owners and scrutinize
their backgrounds.

"We tried to put together the best ordinance that would allow for the
service of the medical cannabis, but it's also going to be looking out
for the interest of our community, residents and schools," said Ald.
Danny Solis (25th), the chairman of the committee.

The state requires dispensaries to be 1,000 feet away from schools and
other places kids frequent.

"In a perfect world, the city of Chicago would treat dispensaries no
differently than pharmacies. However, we applaud the committee's
recommendations," said Chris Lindsey, a legislative analyst with the
Marijuana Policy Project. "We believe that it will help that seriously
ill patients are not treated as second-class citizens and have
reasonable access to regulated dispensaries in the city."

The ordinance approved by the committee Tuesday is a big change from
what Ald. Ed Burke (14th) had originally proposed - to confine
dispensaries and marijuana growers to manufacturing districts near the
airports and the Lake Calumet area because it seemed, initially, that
there were few areas in the city that met the location requirements
dictated by the state.

Burke told the committee that it was never the city's intent to
"restrict" access to medical marijuana.

"Under the state law, there was virtually no place in the city of
Chicago where dispensaries and/or cultivation centers could be
located," he said.

The city's action on Tuesday came after the state clarified its rules
about where dispensaries could be located.

State officials will allow 13 dispensaries to open in Chicago. In the
city, the state used township boundaries to be sure the dispensaries
are spread throughout.

For instance, North Township, which is roughly bounded by Fullerton to
the north and follows the edge of the Chicago River to the west and
south, has been allocated one dispensary.

A cultivation center growing marijuana in Chicago will be treated as
an "urban farm," zoned to a manufacturing district and also require a
special-use permit, officials said.

The state will allow one growing operation in each State Police
district. District Chicago, which includes all of Cook County, is
actually made up of two districts, so it will have two cultivation
centers, according to state documents.

Earlier this month, state lawmakers gave the OK to implement the
Illinois Medical Cannabis Pilot Program.

Applications for those seeking to use medical marijuana, grow it or
sell it will likely be available in August, state officials have said.
Then in September, the state will start accepting the applications and
reviewing them.

The city was "under the gun" and wanted to have its zoning ordinance
in place before applications started rolling into the state, Solis
said.

The full City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance
Wednesday.

Patients with specific debilitating medical conditions - such as
muscular dystrophy, cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS - who are
approved by the state are expected to be able to start using medical
marijuana early next year.

Contributing: Fran Spielman 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D