HUDSON, Ohio – Hudson City Council, in a recent 5-1 decision, voted to ban marijuana facilities from operating within the city.
The ban applies to both medical and recreational marijuana businesses, according to the
city’s website
. The council’s vote took place in a June 3 executive session. Under the new ordinance, facilities that are engaged in the cultivation, processing, dispensing or sale of marijuana, cannabis or related products are not permitted to operate within Hudson.
The ban follows the November 2023 passage of a statewide law that legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults ages 21 and older. That same law gave municipalities the ability to regulate or ban marijuana businesses within their jurisdictions.
Though he did not attend the meeting in person, Ward 3 Council Member Skylar Sutton was the sole dissenting voter. Before the vote, he submitted a statement, which was
read aloud during the meeting
by Council President Chris Foster.
“I apologize for not being here tonight, I’m having medical complications, but I asked Mr. Foster to read the statement on my behalf and express my deep objection to the passage of 25-57,” the statement said. “Voters gave us a directive to permit the sale of marijuana in the state. If we need clarification about whether it should be sold locally, we need to go back to those same voters and ask that question. I do not think it’s appropriate to let 300 semi-anonymous comments take priority over the 5,900 affirmative votes cast at the ballot box, and many of the residents I have spoken to feel the same way.”
In December of 2023, Hudson enacted a 12-month moratorium on marijuana facilities to give the state time to determine the applicable licensing programs and for the city to establish local zoning regulations. During that time, the City Council adopted regulations that could allow recreational marijuana facilities as conditional uses in District 9 only, and would require specific setback standards, according to the city’s website.
Before voting to ban marijuana facilities from operating in the city, Hudson City Council sought input from the community through several public meetings, formal public hearings and an online survey to understand residents’ thoughts on the issue, according to the city’s website.
Want more Akron news?
Sign up for cleveland.com’s Rubber City Update
, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Wednesdays.
