The Carson City Board of Supervisors tentatively agreed Thursday to allow limited zoning for marijuana dispensaries, cultivation, production and testing facilities within the city limits.
The motion, made by Supervisor Karen Abowd was unanimous. It was agreed to as a first reading and will come back to the board for a second reading of the vote, which will be an evening session.
Issues of zoning were narrowed to areas west of the airport industrial area, for cultivation and production; east of the Carson City freeway for cultivation, production, dispensary, and testing facilities only, and a dispensary location in the general commercial area on South Carson Street.
Maps were redrawn after a lengthy discussion by the board, which decided to opt into allowing for medical marijuana facilities — dispensary, cultivation, production and testing — within the city limits.
Those property owners within the zoning area have already been given legal notice of the areas considered. Staff said it will look into whether it is legal to provide a second notice about the proposed changes. Supervisors John McKenna and Jim Shirk advocated for a second notice.
"I think the more information we give to the people the better off," said McKenna.
The "Medical Marijuana Act," was adopted by the Nevada Legislature and signed into law in 2013. The Medical Marijuana Act authorizes establishments in Nevada, but gives local jurisdictions the right to opt out or, if they opt in, to regulate the location of medical marijuana establishments through zoning and business license requirements.
City staff was directed by the Board of Supervisors to draft the ordinance that allows for such facilities in certain zoning districts subject to certain regulatory standards.
Supervisors began discussion at around 2 Thursday afternoon, allowing for staff presentation and public comment, which weighed both for and against having dispensaries and cultivation areas within the city.
The amount of cultivation facilities was at question for Supervisor Jim Shirk, who raised the issue, implying there could be, hypothetically, 100 cultivation facilities in the city.
City staff said it is indeed up to the state that will grant the cultivation licenses but the city has the special use permits to ultimately allow for the facilities.
If it is determined to be too much of a density for cultivation, the special use permit, issued by the city, can keep the amount down, with the city having the final determination based on what it allows under its special use permit.