TO: Development Review Committee
FROM: Reddy Chitepu, Acting Director of Economic Development/Director of DEES
DATE: January 9, 2018
Title
DRC NO. 01-18-03 CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO BAN MEDICAL MARIJUANA TREATMENT CENTERS AND DISPENSARIES.
BACKGROUND: On November 8, 2016, Florida voters approved Amendment 2, to legalize medical marijuana. On June 23, 2017, Governor Rick Scott signed Senate Bill 8A, providing for regulation of medical marijuana. This bill provides that local governments may either ban medical marijuana treatment centers and dispensaries, or regulate them in the same way the local government regulates pharmacies. The City of Margate has enacted and extended a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries until April 6, 2018. The City Commission discussed regulating this use at the November 1, 2017 meeting. The City Commission held a workshop to discuss this topic on December 11, 2017. The City Commission passed a resolution instructing staff to draft an ordinance to ban medical marijuana treatment centers and dispensaries at a special meeting, held on December 18, 2017.