First step in zoning changes for legal pot sales approved

Cape Girardeau City Council members voted unanimously at their meeting Monday, Jan. 23, to approve multiple changes to the city's code of ordinances in the wake of the legalization of recreational marijuana in Missouri.

It's been more than two months since around 53% of Show Me State voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana by voting "yes" on Amendment 3. The new state law took effect Dec. 8.

Council members voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an amendment to the city's zoning code to establish requirements for marijuana facilities in Cape Girardeau. The amendment expanded regulations on medical marijuana facilities to include those involved in the sale of recreational marijuana, setting parameters for where the facilities can be located, among other things. The ordinance also covers personal cultivation allowed under state law and will be added to the consent agenda at the next meeting.

"It basically mimics the language in the amendment, the state amendment," city planner Ryan Shrimplin said of the zoning changes.

The amendment was recommended to the council via a unanimous vote by Planning and Zoning Commission members at their Jan. 11 meeting.

Council members also voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance to amend Chapter 17 of the city's code to decriminalize recreational marijuana, aligning Cape Girardeau with Missouri law. The ordinance will be added to the consent agenda at the next meeting.

Sales tax

Also at the meeting, council members voted unanimously to approve adding a ballot question to April elections regarding a sales tax on recreational marijuana as part of the meeting's consent agenda. This was the last possible council meeting members could have voted to add the question to the ballot. The final ballot must be approved no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24.

Both the Jackson Board of Aldermen and the Cape Girardeau County Commission have decided to place the question on the additional sales tax on their respective ballots.

Voters in April will get the chance to decide whether to have an additional 3% sales tax on all recreational marijuana sales in Cape Girardeau city limits. The question language states that, if approved, "no more than one-quarter" of the funds from the tax would go to the Cape Girardeau Police Department for mental health and drug treatment programs. The rest would go to the city's general fund.

Council members considered altering the language regarding where the tax money would go at their Jan. 9 meeting but were unable to do so because of time constraints with the ballot deadline.