MILFORD, DE- Milford City Council is holding a public hearing at tonight's meeting, giving residents their first chance to share opinions on bringing the marijuana industry to town. City leaders want community input as they decide how to regulate marijuana sales after state legalization.
With marijuana now legal statewide, cities and towns across Delaware are responsible for establishing local regulations. Through ordinances, each community can decide where marijuana businesses can operate, set specific rules around sales, and even choose to restrict or ban sales within their limits.
Milford Mayor Todd Culotta says gathering public input is essential to shaping policies that reflect residents' preferences and address community concerns about the marijuana industry.
“We’re at a point now where we want to take public comment from the residents of Milford to get their opinions on it.”
While many neighboring towns in Sussex County have already banned recreational marijuana sales, the mayor believes Milford could go either way.
“I don’t know what we’ll hear tonight. The feedback so far has been mostly against retail, but there are some who support it—and others who haven’t given it much thought. Tonight, we want everyone to have their voices heard.”
Milford residents remain divided on whether to welcome the marijuana industry into their community.
Some locals, like Terrance Branch, expressed support for bringing the marijuana industry to town.
“I’ve never heard of marijuana killing anyone—it helps some people, and I don’t see a problem with it."
Some locals, who wanted to remain anonymous, expressed opposition to the marijuana industry, stating that they believe introducing these shops could negatively impact their city.
Other residents, like Victoria Wright, believe opposition may stem from lingering stigmas surrounding marijuana and encourage Milford locals to consider its potential benefits.
“I just hope people give it a chance," Wright said. "Even if you don’t use it or don’t want to, you don’t have to. For others, it could make a life-changing difference.”
City officials acknowledge the mixed reactions within the community. The mayor and city council emphasize that public input will guide the drafting of an ordinance for additional comment and potential approval.
Mayor Culotta says tonight’s public hearing will significantly influence the future ordinance for the city.
“After tonight, we will come up with our ordinance language that will be introduced, and then we will have a public hearing for that to be passed or not on the agenda.”
The future of the marijuana industry in Milford depends on community input, making it clear that the residents' voices will play a pivotal role in shaping the city’s next steps.