Wilmington City Council Postpones Zoning Decision for Recreational Marijuana Industry
The Wilmington City Council has decided to delay a zoning measure that would have regulated the legal recreational marijuana industry in the city. The proposed zoning plan, which was set to be discussed at a committee meeting, was pulled due to opposition from some community members and continued uncertainty among council members.
In addition to the zoning plan, the council is also considering an outright ban on retail marijuana sales in the city. Council member Nathan Field has introduced an ordinance that would prohibit retail marijuana sales within the city limits, which will be discussed at the next council meeting on November 21.
Some community members have expressed concerns about the potential impact of legal recreational cannabis on residential neighborhoods and schools. They have called for buffers as wide as 1,000 feet between marijuana businesses and residential areas and schools.
The decision to delay the zoning plan comes over a year after Delaware legalized recreational marijuana in April 2023. The city’s planning commission had previously approved a zoning proposal that included a 100-foot buffer around K-12 schools and residential areas, as well as a nearly half-mile buffer between marijuana businesses.
The council’s failure to act on the zoning plan has left the recreational marijuana industry in limbo, with some businesses waiting for clarity on how they will be able to operate in the city.
