Medical cannabis pickup sites would be zoned like pharmacies, with growing kept out of light industrial areas

Fort Worth staff are drafting zoning rules that would let state-licensed medical cannabis pickup locations operate wherever pharmacies are allowed, while confining growing and processing plants to the city's medium and heavy industrial districts, the Fort Worth Report reported Thursday.

The direction came from the City Council's Infrastructure and Growth Committee at a meeting Tuesday. The city's zoning ordinance does not currently address medical cannabis sites.

What changed

Staff first presented proposed rules in March. According to the Report, the only difference in the version headed to the Zoning Commission is that cultivation facilities would no longer be allowed in "I" light industrial districts, only in "J" medium and "K" heavy industrial districts.

That category covers operations that grow the plants as well as those that extract, test, package, process or ship the products.

Council member Deborah Peoples, who represents District 5, told the committee that much of the light industrial land in her area is near communities that are economically disadvantaged and that she did not want to add to that burden. Council member Jeanette Martinez said she was not hearing concerns about proximity. Committee chair Macy Hill told the Report she agreed with removing light industrial.

Council member Michael Crain asked staff to confirm the city was aligning its rules with state law. "This is not legalizing marijuana in Fort Worth," he said, according to the Report.

Pickup sites as pharmacies

Under the proposal, the zoning code's definition of "pharmacy" would be broadened so it covers medical cannabis pickup sites, which would put them in commercial and other districts where pharmacies are allowed. Two such sites operate in the city now: Texas Original at 2812 Horne St. on the west side and Goodblend at 1307 8th Ave. in Near Southside.

Lydia Guajardo Rickard, executive director of the Camp Bowie District, told the Report that she considered the Horne Street location suitable but did not think the use fit on Camp Bowie Boulevard itself. She also warned that the city could face lawsuits if it tried to push a legal use out of certain districts.

Next steps

The changes go to the Zoning Commission and then to the City Council for a final vote. A development services spokesperson told the Report that the meeting schedule is not yet set.

State law allows licensed dispensaries to sell physician-prescribed, non-smokable low-THC products. Assistant City Manager Jesica McEachern told the committee the rules are meant to be in place if the industry grows in the city.

Sources

fortworthreport.org