DOVER — Results for the city’s marijuana survey, which closed Aug. 31, are now in, showing that about 60% of residents would like to see the cannabis industry develop in Dover.
Consultant Anne Marie Townshend from the Rossi Group presented the findings to City Council during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting.
She said the survey garnered 2,228 responses, around 70% of which came from the online form, while the rest were from the paper version, available at city buildings and mailed out with utility bills.
The first question was a big one: whether to allow marijuana businesses in city limits and whether they should have restrictions.
Fifty-eight percent responded that they would like to have the industry in Dover. Thirty-four percent of that group noted they want it without any restrictions, 13% said to allow all types of such business with strong controls, and 12% replied to permit some types with strong controls.
Forty percent wish to prohibit all marijuana business in the city, according to the survey.
City officials are examining four types of cannabis businesses, desired by survey respondents in the following order: retail, testing, cultivation and manufacturing.
Similar percentages of those who support marijuana operations also generally back them in zones where their nonmarijuana counterparts typically reside, like cultivation in manufacturing zones, manufacturing in industrial zones, etc.
In addition, 51% said they do not want retail stores downtown, but 54% replied that they should be along the U.S. 13 corridor.
Other results show approval for distancing requirements from sites like schools or rehab centers. There is also an indication that odor and increased crime are big concerns.
After discussing the survey, Ms. Townshend warned City Council that time is running out to decide on rules for business permits, as conversion licenses will be given out starting next month and retail licenses in March 2025. If the city does not develop its own regulations, it will default to statewide ones.
She added that some municipalities are defaulting intentionally.
Despite having a quorum Tuesday, Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee chair Councilman Gerald Rocha said he felt uncomfortable voting on resolutions without the full council present. Three members were absent.
However, Ms. Townshend offered two amendments to the marijuana business draft ordinances, which were approved by the members present.
The first mandates that marijuana stores would have to get conditional use approval to open, as well as limits the number of stores in central commercial zones to one. The second amendment allows compassion centers licensed before 2024 to be exempt from retail distancing requirements. This essentially only applies to the Best Buds Dispensary at 516 Jefferic Blvd.
Following the presentation, council members and those in the audience had some comments.
“If you hired this company to do a presentation, I wonder where the negatives are,” said Cynthia Christiansen, a retired teacher and longtime Dover resident. “We bring big businesses in. We want Mosaic to come in and have 2,000 people come and live here and work here, and we’re going to sell marijuana. But yet, down south, in the towns that you would think (would allow it) — Dewey Beach, Rehoboth, Lewes, Millsboro, Fenwick — they said no. Why? ... Because people didn’t want it.”
Another attendee, Eric Choinski of Dover, added, “What’s our biggest problem with (U.S.) 13? Right now, we have increased use of drug usage, homelessness. Now, people will tell you that ... marijuana is not a gateway drug. It is. How many drug dealers do you see ... get busted? How many of those actually (have) marijuana amongst the more powerful drugs they have?”
Also speaking out was Aaron Epstein, the chief operating officer of CannTech, the company that operates Best Buds.
“I know that there’s been a lot of fear-mongering — not only (in) your past meetings but (in) some of your meetings today — that the second a weed shop opens, you’re going to have violence. You’re going to have shootouts. That’s not the case,” he said. “One of the principal reasons of legalizing cannabis in the state of Delaware was because ... prohibition doesn’t work, and it’s racist.
“Now, if you ban it in Dover, who are you penalizing? You are not penalizing your individuals who have means of transportation, the people who have money. ... What you’re doing is ... you’re penalizing the people that don’t have transportation, that can’t travel to go get this product that they have voted for.”
The Committee of the Whole plans further discussion of the marijuana industry at a later date.
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