On Thursday, the Providence City Council voted 12-2 to pass the cannabis zoning ordinance, which includes "equity-driven zoning and public safety measures" and amends the zoning code with additional guidance for cannabis retailers on licensing and approval processes.
The ordinance expands on the 2022 Rhode Island Act on Cannabis, which legalized recreational marijuana use in the state. It established six different cannabis retail zones in the state, as well as an independent commission to grant licenses to a maximum of four cannabis retailers per zone.
One of these retailers must be an applicant "that has been disproportionately impacted by criminal enforcement of marijuana laws" as defined by the act. Another must be an enterprise owned and operated by its employees.
The ordinance now stipulates that cannabis retailers must only occupy the area designated to them by the city. Any space on the property that is not used for cannabis cultivation or retail purposes "must be segregated from the facility by a wall or similar structure." Storefronts may not be located within 500 feet of any preexisting schools.
Read more at browndailyherald.com