City Talk: Savannah should treat medical cannabis dispensaries like pharmacies, not bars

This is the City Talk column by Bill Dawers, a longtime contributor to the Savannah Morning News.

At a meeting in May, Savannah City Council approved such restrictive zoning for medical cannabis dispensaries that patients might have to leave the city limits to obtain their medication.

During the May 27 session, City Manager Jay Melder and Director of Planning and Urban Design Bridget Lidy stressed that the zoning for dispensaries was based on the zoning for pharmacies, but the restrictions on location seem much more similar to the rules regarding alcohol.

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Medical cannabis and medical marijuana dispensaries, which are strictly regulated by the state, would not be allowed within 2,000 feet of a host of uses, including parks, libraries, community centers, day care centers, many public safety facilities, schools of any type, houses of worship, restaurants and package stores.

The dispensaries will also have to be in standalone buildings, which obviously eliminates various types of commercial plazas that might be especially convenient for patients with limited personal mobility and limited transportation options. This requirement might also translate into considerable costs for any business that is able to get one of the limited state licenses.

And dispensaries in Savannah will not be allowed in alcohol density overlay districts, which are found in predominantly African American areas. Several of those areas are served well by Chatham Area Transit.

Alderwoman Bernetta Lanier detailed the “mixed messages” that the city is sending.

“We’re treating it as if we’re talking about a recreational use, but we’re talking about a medicinal (use),” Lanier said. She argued straightforwardly that dispensaries should be allowed wherever pharmacies are allowed.

“Make it make sense,” Lanier said a couple of times during the council discussion.

As it turned out, no one could make it make sense.

During the discussion, both Lanier and At-Large Alderwoman Alicia Miller Blakely called for a reexamination of the current alcohol density overlays, which limit the number of license holders in specific areas across the city, including portions of West Bay Street, Montgomery Street, Ogeechee Road, Liberty City, Waters Avenue, Skidaway Road, Pennsylvania Avenue, Wheaton Street and East DeRenne Avenue.

The alderwomen said that the alcohol overlays have impacts on economic development. Lanier added that the restrictions on medical cannabis dispensaries were creating a barrier to good health as well as to economic development.

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Given the fractiousness on council, I doubt that the city will reexamine the use of the alcohol overlay districts, but I hope to take a closer look at the issues in a future column.

The proposed zoning, which city officials had been crafting for more than a year, was ultimately approved 6-3 with council split into the usual factions.

But it’s worth noting that Alderman Nick Palumbo voted in favor while also emphasizing that he wanted to see dispensaries allowed in more areas. He should use his clout with the majority on council to push for several revisions to the ordinance.

While Savannah has dithered over the restrictions on medical cannabis, Pooler has not. Two dispensaries are set to open soon.

Bill Dawers can be reached via @billdawers on Twitter and CityTalkSavannah@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah medical marijuana cannabis ordinance too restrictive