Last night Clermont City Council unanimously approved an amendment that will allow medical marijuana dispensaries as a permitted use in designated zoning districts that include C-1 Light Commercial, C-2 General Commercial and M-1 Industrial and certain Planned Unit Development (PUD) developments with a commercial or industrial component.
In November 2016, the Florida voters approved Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment that legalized the cultivation and distribution of marijuana within the State of Florida for specified medical purposes. Medical Marijuana Dispensaries also known as Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers are approved and regulated by the Florida Department of Health and must comply with certain laws and criteria that are similar to the operation of a Pharmacy.
The Clermont City Council on September 26, 2017, approved and adopted an ordinance
that prohibited the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries and cannabis farms in Clermont. At that time, the Council deemed it necessary and in the best interest of the citizens and community to prohibit this use.
As the use of marijuana becomes increasingly popular in the treatment of various illnesses, Clermont residents must travel to a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center outside the area to receive prescribed marijuana. Council’s unanimous decision to allow dispensaries in the city limits will now allow residents the ability to pick up prescribed marijuana at a convenient dispensary.
