City council discusses cannabis dispensary regulations

By Cathy Cobbs

The Dunwoody City Council discussed proposed regulations for stand-alone stateregulated medical cannabis distribution facilities that may want to locate in the city.

At the July 10 meeting, Zoning and Planning Director Paul Leonhardt discussed proposed limitations that the city could impose, including only allowing the facilities to operate in certain commercial areas and adding restrictions about its proximity to schools, daycare centers, and houses of worship.

A public hearing was held at the meeting, but nobody spoke either for or against the proposal.

In April, the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission issued the state’s first five medical cannabis dispensaries. Five licenses were issued to Botanical Sciences LLC and Trulieve GA Inc. for dispensaries in Cobb County, Bibb County and Chatham County.

Leonhardt said his staff researched similar operations in neighboring states, including already established locations in Florida.

“The staff has reached out to staff in Florida communities to identify concerns and experiences with existing medical cannabis facilities in that state,” Leonhardt wrote in a memo to council. “Typically, in suburban settings similar to Dunwoody, medical cannabis dispensaries will frequent in-line and free-standing retail buildings between 2,000 square feet and 5,000 square feet in size. The traffic impact is similar to other retail uses and no nuisances were reported.”

No action was taken by the council. It will come back on the agenda at its regularly scheduled Aug. 14 meeting.