By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council is starting a public hearing process before deciding if recreational cannabis businesses should operate in the city.
The council’s action comes despite a religious leader’s concerns city leaders are moving too fast on the issue.
The Bloomington Planning Commission will hold a November 13 public hearing on proposed zoning rules, and may conduct other sessions before a planned council vote in December.
Father Dave Halt of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church said he likes to stay out of political debates, but told council members he’s worried they’re rushing into the marijuana business without knowing its impact.
“You have the option to opt in, but being an early adopter really gets us nothing if it’s the wrong decision and the wrong fit,” said Halt.
“Please, for our community, slow down.”
Local business operator RJ McCracken believes the council is not moving fast enough.
“Please hurry up. There’s money to be made here,” said McCracken.
“There are investors who are waiting on our decision who want to develop real estate,” McCracken added.
He suggested tax revenue generated from pot sales could be allocated to help kids in need.
“It doesn’t have to be an alienating issue that makes all of us hate each other, make people think that they’re outraged because reefer madness is going to take over the town,” McCracken said.
“It’s going to be legal here, no matter what we do, so why would we turn away the money that we could actually use to help our community,” McCracken also said.
Kimberly Bray and Donna Boelen were the only council members voting no. Earlier, they failed to win council support for narrowing the planning commission’s focus to just dispensaries and craft growers.
Bray said people she represents in Ward 9, covering parts of northeast Bloomington, are less than thrilled about the prospect of marijuana businesses sprouting up, perhaps creating foul odors and reducing property values.
“While there are those in the community that are very bullish for these opportunities, I’ll tell you that I represent a ward that is not bullish for this opportunity,” said Bray.
If marijuana businesses become legal, Boelen said they should be close to public bus routes.
“Everybody that wants it, if it’s legal, should be able to access it, and for people that maybe want to work there,” Boelen said.
Bray and Council member Scott Black said they will not support onsite marijuana consumption, while members Joni Painter and Jamie Mathy urged the city to work closely with the Town of Normal, which is considering zoning rules cannabis businesses. Normal’s Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a November 7 public hearing on the cannabis issue.
Addiction specialist Deb Carter, who served on the city’s cannabis task force, estimated 30 to 40 percent of Bloomington adults smoke marijuana.
“It’s your friends, it’s your co-workers, there’s a great number of white, upper-middle class professional people, lawyers, bankers, people you wouldn’t know. The reason why you do not know this is because of the stigma,” Carter told the council.
Carter believes legalized marijuana sales would help remove the stigma.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
