Walton bans medical cannabis business operations

Walton residents won’t see any marijuana dispensaries opening up in the city anytime soon.

At its meeting on Tuesday evening, the city council approved an ordinance prohibiting cannabis business operations, including cannabis testing facilities and dispensaries.

This means that Walton won’t participate in the first phase of cannabis business openings in Kentucky, which will take place early next year. In its decision, Walton follows Boone County’s recommendation to prohibit medical cannabis businesses.

Union similarly decided to prohibit cannabis business operations during a meeting last month. Florence, meanwhile, is leaving the decision up to voters , putting the issue on its November ballot.

“The City Council of the City of Walton does not believe that it would be in the best interest of the city and its citizens, property owners, visitors and businesses to allow cannabis operations within the city,” said city attorney Michael Duncan. “Such would be an additional burden on the city’s water distribution and wastewater treatment system.”

Councilmembers discussed at their last meeting on July 9 that Walton’s water and sewer capacity would not be able to support large new cannabis operations, as it is already struggling to keep up with Walton’s continued growth.

Councilman Dan Martin last month said that most of the council is actually in support of the use of medical cannabis and that despite the decision not to allow cannabis operations now, the decision has the potential to be reversed in the future.

The decision to prohibit medical cannabis operations in Walton comes just weeks after dispensaries in Ohio were granted licenses to start selling recreational marijuana as well.

This story originally appeared on linknky.com .

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