Agenda Date: 5/7/2024
Subject:
Title
Marijuana Licensing Review
Body
From:
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager
Prepared by:
Reid B. Betzing, City Attorney
Presentations:
Reid B. Betzing, City Attorney
PURPOSE:
To discuss the city's current marijuana licensing provisions in comparison to the region and any potential changes to the city's current marijuana licensing requirements.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
High Quality Governance; Robust and Resilient Economy
BACKGROUND:
The Colorado Constitution (Article XVIII, Section 16) permits adults over the age of 21 to purchase, use, possess and cultivate limited amounts of marijuana and allows local governments to prohibit retail marijuana establishments, to adopt regulations governing the time, place, manner, and number of establishments, and to establish licensing procedures and operating fees.
In July of 2014, council approved Ordinance 13-2014, which prohibited retail marijuana establishments in the city. In November of 2020, the registered electors of the City of Littleton voted to allow existing medical marijuana center licensees in the City of Littleton to sell retail marijuana on and after January 1, 2021.
Pursuant to that vote, council adopted an ordinance to allow for retail sales of marijuana. Since the adoption of licensing provisions related to both medical and retail/recreational sales, the city has received correspondence asking for revisions to our current code.
Council is being asked to consider three (3) changes to the city's current marijuana licensing provisions: 1) Increasing the allowed hours of operation from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. to Midnight; 2) Allowing for medical patients to purchase more than 2 oz. to the amount prescribed by a registered doctor in accordance with state statute; and 3) To remove the square footage requirement of a maximum of 2,000 square feet.
DISCUSSION:
In review of the city's licensing provisions in comparison to other jurisdictions, there wer...
Click here for full text