Gurnee village board to vote Monday on prohibiting marijuana sales

The Gurnee village board will consider an ordinance Monday prohibiting the sale of recreational cannabis.

"The consensus from the village board is that it does not fit in with the image we want to uphold, and I agree with them," Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik said Thursday. "We can't prohibit it in the village but can limit or prohibit commercial sale of recreational cannabis in our community."

The state's Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act gives municipalities the decision to adopt and enforce local ordinances related to the purchase and the public consumption of cannabis, which becomes legal in Illinois on Jan. 1. If Gurnee's board votes to prohibit, the village would join a number of others, including Arlington Heights, Naperville and Libertyville, in banning the sale of recreational marijuana.

Gurnee officials conducted two surveys on the topic. A slight majority of Gurnee residents responding to the phone survey opposed allowing the marijuana sales, while residents polled via the internet supported it.

The phone survey reached about 4 percent of residents. Of the 1,274 contacted by phone, 585 people, or 45.9 percent, either somewhat supported or strongly supported allowing recreational cannabis dispensaries. while 689 people, 54.1 percent, said they were opposed. Of the opponents, 549 said they were strongly against the idea.

The village ran an online survey from Aug. 22 to Oct. 14 that received responses from 1,654 people, of which 1,531 identified themselves as Gurnee residents. About 69 percent of those people said they preferred recreational marijuana dispensaries be allowed.

The board meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Monday at village hall, at 325 O'Plaine Road in Gurnee.