South Kingston Updating Zoning Policies for Marijuana Businesses

The town of South Kingston is considering making changes to its zoning ordinance in preparation for impending marijuana businesses. There are no zoning laws in place currently regarding medical marijuana businesses or the use of land for the purpose of medical marijuana businesses.

The town’s planning board will discuss potential zoning requirements, according to Rhode Island Central. The town doesn’t even know if a medical marijuana business will come to their town yet, but wants to be prepared the number of dispensaries statewide is expanded. As the law stands now, there will only be 3 medical marijuana dispensaries permitted statewide.

Attorney representing South Kingston, Amy Goins, said, “This [zooming amendment] would simply add specific use codes to remove any doubt about whether such uses are permitted. The thought is, because licensing of these uses are at the state level, to get some zoning in place locally so the town is prepared when and if an application is filed to examine what zones may be appropriate for these uses and what standards may be appropriate if they’re permitted by special use permit.”

It is speculated that the General Assembly may wish to increase the number of dispensaries permitted.

In response, Goins said, “I’ve been told that the General Assembly is considering doing that, given that there are no compassion centers located in Washington County currently.”

If more licenses are permitted, state law requires that medical marijuana facilities be at least 1,000-ft from public and private schools.

Goins said, “If you think a greater distance is appropriate, you can do that. The provisions by state law requiring a 1,000 foot setback from a school and the general provisions that these uses have to comply with local zoning, those set a floor for our municipal guidelines.”

The proposed zoning amendment only states that a special use permit will only be permitted in West Kingston or Old Tower Hill Road/Dale Carlia areas.

Amendments to zoning laws are permitted by individual towns, and in South Kingston, it would be done purely as a precautionary measure to prepare for the future.