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Homewood approves recreational pot sales

  Homewood officials approved the sale of recreational
 marijuana when it becomes legal in 2020. Sales
will be limited to a specific commercial zone.

 

Recreational cannabis sales were approved by the Homewood village board Tuesday.
  Homewood officials approved
  the sale of recreational
  marijuana when it becomes
  legal in 2020. Sales will be
  limited to a specific M-1
  commercial zone.

 

The board approved a zoning amendment 4 to 1, making recreational marijuana sales legal inside an M-1 zoning district, which is limited to manufacturing and business park areas. The same distinction was previously approved for medical cannabis sales. 

Trustee Larry Burnson was the lone dissenting vote. Trustees Lisa Purcell and Karen Washington were absent and did not vote. Mayor Richard Hofeld cast a vote because only four board members were present.
 
“I think the state of Illinois was a little bit quick to pass this legislation,” Burnson said. “There’s no field testing for driving under the influence of cannabis at this point in time, which makes things very difficult for law enforcement out in the field. It’s also still against federal code to use cannabis recreationally.”
 
The state legislature authorized the sale of recreational marijuana on June 25. The state law allows adults 21 and over to buy up to one ounce of marijuana from approved dispensaries. The law goes into effect on Jan. 1. 
 
Individual towns can ban retail sales, however. Some already have, including Bollingbrook, Mokena, Orland Park and Plainfield. 
 
The state may issue 47 retail dispensary licenses in the Chicago area and already existing medical cannabis dispensaries can apply for early approval licenses to sell recreational marijuana. Windy City Cannabis operates a dispensary at 1137 W. 175th Street in Homewood, which is within the zoning district where cannabis sales are allowed. 
 
The company also has locations in Worth and Posen. Greenhouse operates a dispensary in Mokena. 
 
Homewood approved a 3 percent tax on the sale of recreational marijuana last month. The new tax cannot be collected until Sept. 1, 2020, under current legislation but the Illinois Municipal League is requesting a change to allow for recreational cannabis sales taxes to be effective on Jan. 1.
 

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