Lake in the Hills considers medical marijuana rules

Lake in the Hills is considering zoning regulations for allowing medical marijuana dispensaries or cultivation centers to locate in the village.

Per the proposed text amendments to zoning rules, medical marijuana centers could be allowed near the airport, in commercial business districts and light manufacturing areas in the northern and eastern portions of the village as a conditional use, said Dan Olson, village community development director.

Though the village hasn’t been approached by anyone wanting to open a medical marijuana center/dispensary there, “a lot of other municipalities are putting together regulations,” Olson said.

State law allowing medical marijuana use went into effect Jan. 1. A maximum of 22 medical marijuana cultivation centers and 60 dispensaries are allowed to operate in Illinois with a state license and are subject to local zoning laws. State law restricts medical marijuana dispensaries from being within 1,000 feet of a school, day care or child care facility. Dispensaries also cannot be located within a dwelling unit or residential-zoned areas. Cultivation centers must be more than 2,500 feet away from schools, child care facilities and residential areas.

That means they cannot be allowed near business districts along Algonquin, Lakewood, Ackman and Randall roads due to closeness to residential areas, day cares and schools, Olson said.

“We took a look at the state requirement on the setbacks. That pretty much excluded commercial areas along Lakewood and Randall Road,” Olson said. “There is no area really they can go, except by the airport and by Route 31.”

The proposed zoning text amendments will go before the village planning and zoning commission for review Feb. 18. The meeting begins 7:30 p.m. at village hall, 600 Harvest Gate.