WHITEHOUSE, Ohio —
Recreational marijuana is legal to sell in Ohio, but it can't be sold everywhere. Some places have moratoriums on dispensaries and cultivators, but that could soon change for one local village.
Whitehouse residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinion on changing the moratorium on the November ballot, but it's only to see if residents are open to allowing cultivators to come into the area. The ban on dispensaries is not going to be changed as of right now.
Whitehouse has had a moratorium for close to five years. The issue on the ballot is not from people voicing a want for cultivation though.
"About two months ago, we were approached by a grower and just a letter that said, 'Are (you) interested in considering cultivation?'" Whitehouse municipal administrator Jordan Daugherty said.
Daugherty said the grower told the village council he felt this was a community issue.
"He urged council to think about that," Daugherty said. "Council unanimously agreed with that."
The vote is not the final decision on the change, it's just to inform the village council.
"I like to put it, it's a gauge on the will of the people," Daugherty said.
He said if citizens are open to the change, the village council will be more likely to overturn the moratorium.
Daugherty said he has heard mixed reviews from some people and there are some concerns.
"Is it a gateway?" he said. "Socially, what's the impact of it? Financially, are there benefits to this?"
Daugherty said in "bedroom communities" like Whitehouse, they are service-heavy.
"Typically, community income tax doesn't cover that cost so that puts a real tension on how to govern, provide those services when your main income is residential income tax," Daugherty said.
Daugherty said they are always looking for new revenue sources.
"I know a lot of communities are really, really looking to these revenues from these dispensaries and in particular, cultivators to help alleviate some of that tax burden," Daugherty said.
Last November, 50.6% of Whitehouse voters voted against the legalization of recreational marijuana.
East of Whitehouse in Lake Township, there is also a moratorium on dispensaries and cultivation.
"Quite honestly, we haven't had a lot of people contacting us to see if we want to revisit that," Lake Township administrator Mark Hummer said.
Hummer said if people did bring it up, the township administration would address it.