Council Seeks Input on Marijuana Zoning at Public Meeting
Councilman At-Large Herman Seeks to Amend Proposed Legislation to Enable Sales in Certain Commercial Areas
On Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 at 5 pm, City Council will hold a public hearing to get input from residents on proposed legislation to allow the sale of medical and adult-use recreational marijuana in Stow.
The legislation, approved by the Planning Commission on Nov. 12, would limit any cannabis businesses to a Northwest corner in Ward 4 along Seasons Rd., Allen Rd. and McCauley Rd., where industrial facilities primarily are located. With a restriction that cannabis businesses would need to be 1 mile apart, it is likely the proposed zoning would only allow for 1-2 cannabis businesses in the city.
The Planning Commission, an all-volunteer board appointed by the mayor and representing each of the four wards, voted unanimously on the amended proposal to restrict marijuana businesses from locating within 1,000 feet of any residence. See prior article.
After the public meeting, at its regular meeting at 7 pm, Council will discuss and could vote on the proposed legislation, which will have its third reading that night.
Councilman At-Large Kyle Herman, concerned that limiting marijuana sales to solely the industrial area would make it less desirable for such businesses to locate in Stow, thereby forcing residents to shop outside the city, plans to introduce an alternative zoning map that would enable marijuana shops to be located in certain commercial districts that do not abut any residential property.
"When combined with state-level regulations, the extra 1,000-ft. residential buffer recommended by Planning Commission would be a de facto ban on dispensaries in commercial zones. I spoke with each of the other members of Council, and most expressed a willingness to support an alternative closer to what we had discussed before Planning Commission added further restrictions,” he said.
“So I offered an amendment for Map 6 as the starting point for a compromise that would allow for the possibility of a couple dispensaries on commercial properties in accordance with the will of the majority of Stow voters who voted to regulate cannabis like alcohol."
To adopt Herman’s amendment, Council would need to approve the change with a minimum 4-3 vote and then approve the revised legislation 5-2 to override the Planning Commission’s stricter proposal.
During City Council's Jan. 9 meeting, Herman explained that allowing cannabis dispensaries to be located in commercial areas of the city would not enable minors to access marijuana more readily and that the dispensaries licensed by the state are operated more like pharmacies, requiring check-ins and IDs to make purchases. He described what he learned by researching nearby cannabis dispensaries.
"(Underage people) are not getting it from the cannabis dispensaries," he said. "They're getting it from the black market, they're getting it from these low-quality, unregulated vape shops.... Whereas the cannabis dispensaries are very heavily regulated, more like pharmacies. You have to go into reception, give them your ID. They wait to unlock a door to send you into a back room where they check your ID again. There's no product sitting out, you consult with a pharmacist-type of person and then they go and retrieve the product from a back room."
In November 2023, voters in the State of Ohio approved Issue 2 to allow the sale of recreational marijuana in the state. Stow voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of the amendment, by 57% to 43%. Every precinct in Stow approved the measure except two: Precinct 1F, which comprises areas including Pambi Farms, Hunters Crossing, Stillwood and Surrey Hill, and Precinct 2E, which comprises the neighborhoods of Partridge Highlands and Quail Highlands.
January 9, 2025 Update
Council Approves Partnership for Wetlands Acquisition
A plan for the city to seek state or federal grants to cover the cost of acquiring 39-acres of potential future park land off Steels Corners Rd. was approved on a 5-1 vote at City Council’s last meeting.
Councilman At-Large Jeremy McIntire was the sole dissenting vote; Council President Cyle Feldman was absent.
In comments prior to the vote, McIntire expressed why he was against the city acquiring the additional green space including:
That the purchase of this property had not been included in the city’s 10-year parks master plan and that residents had not expressed interest in acquiring additional park lands in surveys conducted as part of that process;
The city has already committed to making improvements to walking trails at Adell Durbin and Silver Springs and “has plenty of park space for walking and taking in nature;”
The city’s sale of its cell tower leases to pay for a new amphitheater eliminated a funding source for parks maintenance, requiring the city to find other revenue sources for its parks.
Herman countered that he didn’t know why the city wouldn’t explore opportunities for free land, that the resolution would not lock the city into any financial obligations.
“It costs the city nothing to explore the possibility of acquiring this land, these pristine wetlands. this is a once in a generation opportunity to actually prevent further encroachment on lands that we are not obligated to turn it into a park right away, but if we conserve the property for free now, it creates the possibility that five, 10 or 20 years from now, there may be interest in creating a park there,” he said.
Herman went on to explain that there was nothing to prevent a develop from acquiring the land for development; that there already exists a temporary cul-de-sac on the North end of the property.
“Last year our planning director said there was a proposal for a development to go in to the South of that, and if that was to happen, we’d be in another Miller’s Landing situation again, where we would have had the opportunity to protect some green space in our community that has been a priority for our community in the past,” he said. "In our Comprehensive Plan, people want to protect our green spaces, they want environmental sustainability.”
He added that the land would provide future park space in an area of the city where there are no parks and that it would fit in with Stow's and other agencies' long-term interest to create a bike trail along the abandoned Conrail railroad tracks from Cuyahoga Falls to Hudson.
Ward 2 Councilwoman Kelly Coffey added that preserving the wetlands would help reduce flooding downstream.
Front-Yard Garden Fences Get Green Light
After a public hearing to get resident input on whether the city should amend its zoning code to allow front-yard garden fences, City Council approved the legislation 6-0.
The public hearing drew just two public comments, from Matthew Chevalier, a Kent Rd. resident who had requested the ordinance, and Cari Orris, a Kent Rd. neighbor who expressed her support for the zoning update.
Other Council Business
Council approved 6-0 a change to the city’s minimum age requirement for firefighters from 21 to age 20. Chief Mark Stone said the change would provide a larger pool of candidates for open positions and enable the city to consider hiring several candidates who already are trained as paramedics and firefighters but are not yet the age of 21.
Council unanimously approved contracts for design services for storm water management projects in two areas: around Echo Rd. between Darrow Rd. and Hiwood Rd.; and around Homewood Ave.
Council also unanimously approved a request to solicit bids for the replacement of the playground surface at SOAR playground in Silver Springs Park.
Law Director Drew Reilly announced that he is conducting a seminar for Stow senior citizens on how to avoid scams on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 1 pm at the Stow Community & Senior Center at 5344 Fishcreek Rd. Registration with Parks & Rec is required online or in-person at City Hall.
Planning Director Zack Cowan said the TGI Friday’s on Steels Corners Rd. has permanently closed and that Wing Stop at 4421 Kent Rd. has opened.
In his Mayor's report, John Pribonic announced the opening of Jenni’s Desserts at 4161 Steels Pointe Dr. (on Thursday, Jan. 23 at noon) and the re-opening of Stow Nut Donut & Diner at Crossroads at Fishcreek Shopping Center. Stow Nut closed in August as a result of a kitchen fire.
