Cascade County is looking to change the zoning code to adjust for recreational marijuana that was legalized at the state level. The planning board meeting to consider those changes was originally set for Sept. 21 but was moved to 9 a.m. Oct. 19 for a larger venue at the Family Living Center at Expo Park.
The meeting will be in a hybrid format.
The agenda and associated documents are available here.
County denies expansion of medical marijuana into more zoning districts
County planning is recommending definitional changes to reflect the changes in the law and will be recommending that it be treated like medical marijuana under the current zoning regulations. which is only permissible with a land use permit in the heavy industrial zoning district and keeping the same setback from worship and educational facilities, according to Charity Yonker, planning director.
The changes are the result of I-190, the Montana Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which was approved by Montana voters in November 2020. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2022.
To comply with the new state laws, the county planning office began work to revise the county’s zoning regulations.
The proposed amendments only apply to the Heavy Industrial I-2 district. Currently, according to the staff report, I-2 is the only district where medical marijuana is allowed as a permitted principal use that requires a location/conformance permit, subject to requirements of the district and medical marijuana setbacks.
So far, county planners said they’re received no public comment about the proposed changes and after the planning board considers the changes, it will go to the County Commission for consideration. They’re expected to make a final decision in December, according to county planning.
