ATLANTA — Atlanta City Council is considering a change to the city’s zoning rules that could allow medical cannabis dispensaries to operate closer to schools, daycares and churches.
A proposed Atlanta ordinance would not eliminate the buffer surrounding schools, dayscares, and churches, but would create a process allowing state-licensed dispensaries to request permission to operate within it.
Councilmember Wayne Martin, one of the sponsors of the ordinance, said the proposal is about creating a path for medical cannabis businesses while allowing communities to weigh in.
“When you think about those people saying, oh, THC products are being sold next to a daycare, but what we want to talk about is what the purpose of it is. It is not for recreation use; it is strictly for medical use,” Martin said.
For dispensary operators, the change could significantly expand the number of locations they can consider.
Judson Hill, Georgia market president for Fine Fettle, said finding a location that meets Atlanta’s zoning requirements can be difficult.
“Atlanta legally allows dispensaries but for a zoning perspective, it’s nearly impossible to find a location that works,” Hill said.
He said the number of schools and churches throughout the city makes finding an eligible property even more challenging.
“In Georgia, there’s a school or a church on every corner,” Hill said.
Under the proposed ordinance, approval would not be automatic.
A dispensary seeking to operate inside an existing buffer would have to receive a recommendation from its Neighborhood Planning Unit, go through city staff review and appear before the Zoning Review Board.
Martin said that the process would give communities an opportunity to weigh in before a location is approved.
“This legislation simply allows for a process for community engagement when you’re near a church, near a school, or other like facilities where we can say this is what I’m doing,” Martin said.
The Zoning Review Board has already recommended approval of the ordinance.
It now heads to the City Council’s Zoning Committee, with the full council ultimately making the final decision on individual special use permits.
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