Medical pot likely topic at Beavercreek council retreat this weekend

Credit: HANDOUT

Credit: HANDOUT

Medical marijuana businesses are expected to be a topic for Beavercreek council members as they attend a retreat this Saturday, according to City Manager Pete Landrum.

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The retreat is open to the public and is an all-day event scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. at the Beavercreek Senior Center, 3868 Dayton-Xenia Road.

Three companies have applied for licenses to operate a dispensary in four locations within the city limits, but only one can be approved, not only in Beavercreek but in the three-county region of Greene, Fayette and Madison counties.

No companies applied to operate dispensaries in Fayette County, but there are three pending approval for Madison County.

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The Ohio Board of Pharmacy is evaluating 370 applications for dispensaries across the state and will be granting 60 licenses.

“The Board of Pharmacy plans to announce the awarding of the provisional dispensary licenses sometime in the spring,” spokesman Grant Miller said.

In Beavercreek, Midwest Integrated Natural Therapies LLC has applied to operate a dispensary at 3400 Seajay Drive; Ohio Craft Cultivators LLC has applied to operate one at 3435 Dayton Xenia Road; and Harvest of Ohio, LLC has applications in to operate a dispensary either at 3281 Dayton Xenia Road or at 4370 Tonawanda Trail.

Landrum said he thinks there’s a good chance one will be approved for Beavercreek, which is one of the more populated areas in the three-county region.

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Beavercreek City Council has two new members starting terms this month and a third person is to be appointed to fill Mayor Bob Stone’s vacant seat. Landrum said it’s not clear yet what council’s direction will be going forward.

“That conversation hasn’t happened yet,” he said. “Whatever their direction is, the staff will do what the council wishes, whether it’s a ban or if they decide they’re happy with what’s in place.”

Like many other local governments, Beavercreek City Council passed temporary moratoriums on medical marijuana businesses in 2016 to give council members and city officials time to understand the new law.

In December, council voted against another moratorium and days later held a meeting with the community, in which the crowd was overwhelmingly against having medical marijuana businesses in the city.

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Landrum said even if council passes a permanent ban on medical marijuana, a dispensary in Beavercreek may still happen.

“They would still grandfather it in if the applicant is approved,” he said. “Otherwise we’ll end up in court and probably lose that legal challenge.”

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