Mifflin Township to consider banning cannabis dispensaries at special meeting July 8

MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP — More than 30 people attended a Mifflin Township trustee meeting Tuesday to voice their opinions on a proposed marijuana dispensary near Interstate 71.

Administrators said they also received several emails for and against a dispensary located at a Crider Road address.

Mifflin Township passed a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in 2017 after the state of Ohio legalized medical use. Board Chairman John Jaholnycky said the board will consider an update to the medical ban at a special meeting scheduled for July 8 at 5:45 p.m.

“We have to listen to our voters and this is not a good idea,” Jaholnycky said. “This is all new. We don’t know how much we would get if we allowed this.”

Greg Fodell, PharmaCann’s chief investment officer, said: Richland Source In a phone call Wednesday, the company said it was considering a location at Exit 176 as a potential site because of its accessibility from the highway.

“The ease of access and the fact that it’s an underserved area,” he said. “It’s hard to predict revenue because we’ve never had adult recreation in Ohio before, but in a similar community in Illinois, we average about $10 million in sales.”

“So that means the host community would receive about $360,000 per year based on those projections.”

Fodell said PharmaCann is also investing in security measures, including hiring off-duty police officers for the first few weeks of a site opening at other properties.

“I don’t remember us having a security incident,” he said.

Rogers: ‘Nobody wants to do anything’ with exit 176

Of the 20 people who spoke during public comment at the meeting, more than half were against creating a dispensary at the location, which would be near Phantom Fireworks on Crider Road and Heritage Inn on Koogle Road.

Jim Rogers, the largest landowner on Exit 176, expressed support for the dispensary idea. He said interested businesses have passed up his property in the township because of the exit’s current lack of sewer and water connections and lack of high-speed internet.

“I’m all for this intersection, I want to sell it,” he said. “We have no water, no sewer, no high-speed internet and this dispensary seems to be the only business willing to invest money to fix it.”

Rogers owns approximately 1,000 acres of land in Mifflin Township. He has lived in the township since 1986.

“This exit has north, south, east and west access, and nobody wants to do anything with it – it’s a waste,” he said.

Township resident Andy Cordas also said he would like to have a dispensary near his home.

“I have suffered from osteoarthritis for many, many years,” he said. “Medical marijuana helps me with my pain.”

“As far as the moratorium goes, I think it doesn’t do much for the communities, other than prohibiting commercial growth and restricting employment for community members. Without a moratorium, it would encourage participation in the illicit market.”

“This is our backyard”

Tyler Sauder, who lives on Crider Road, said he was concerned a dispensary would increase traffic in the area.

“To you it may be out of town or on the highway, but to some of us it’s our backyard,” he said. “We already have heavy traffic with the hotel… we can’t even control it and I think a dispensary would just make it worse.”

Jaholnycky said he appreciated that the meeting participants expressed their concerns.

“It’s our job to do our due diligence,” he said. “I think it was a good dialogue and we really appreciate everyone’s input. Please feel free to call us if you have any further questions.”

How neighboring communities responded to the problem 2

The Mifflin Township discussion comes weeks after the Mansfield City Council voted against a six-month moratorium on cannabis-related businesses, opening the door for dispensaries to apply for licenses in the city.

Municipalities including Madison Township, the city of Ashland, Shelby and Lexington voted to ban adult-use cannabis businesses within their boundaries. Madison Township and Shelby residents voted in favor of legalizing marijuana by a majority, as did Mifflin Township voters by one vote.

According to the Richland County Board of Elections, Mifflin Township had 1,203 votes for Question 2 and 1,202 votes against.

Bellville Village Council recently voted to extend its moratorium until January 2025 and to put the issue of medical and recreational marijuana sales within village limits before Bellville voters in the 2024 general election.

The Ontario city’s moratorium is set to expire this fall if council does not extend the measure.

Municipalities that vote against cannabis-related businesses do not affect a resident’s right to consume or grow marijuana on their own property under the Ohio Revised Code regulations. Legal consumption is limited to 21 and older for recreational users and 18 and older for medical users.

It is illegal to drive a vehicle while under the influence of marijuana. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against marijuana use by pregnant women or minors.

According to the Ohio Revised Code, dispensaries are currently prohibited within 500 feet of a school, church, public library or public park.