EASTON, Md. - Talbot County leaders are considering new legislation that would set local zoning rules for where cannabis businesses can operate, noting that a failure to act could leave those decisions in the hands of the state.
Introduced in February, Bill No. 1624 proposes amendments to Chapter 190 of the Talbot County Code dealing with the location and operation of marijuana-related businesses in Talbot County.
Under the proposal, cannabis cultivation and on-site processing would be allowed by special exception in the Agricultural Conservation, Countryside Preservation and Western Rural Conservation districts. The bill would also allow the processing of cannabis grown off-site by special exception in the Village Mixed, General Commercial and Limited Industrial districts.
Cannabis cultivation operations would not fall under “Right to Farm” protections, meaning the businesses could face challenges such as nuisance lawsuits from neighbors due to odor, dust, or other effects of agricultural production.
Cannabis dispensaries would also be permitted by special exception under the bill, but only in the Limited Commercial, General Commercial and Limited Industrial districts.
In addition to setting where those businesses could operate, the legislation would establish definitions and operational requirements tied to cannabis-related uses in the county, meaning the bill would not simply open the door to cannabis businesses anywhere, but instead create a framework for how they would be reviewed and regulated locally.
Included in the legislation are requirements for cannabis growers or property owners to ensure no odors from cannabis grown on their property are detectable from other properties or public roads. Bill 1624 would also subject cannabis businesses to maintaining buffer distances from schools, daycares, parks, churches, and other dispensaries.
During council discussion held on March 10, members noted that if Talbot County does not adopt its own regulations, authority over those rules would default to the State of Maryland. No public comments were made during the hearing.
Bill No. 1624 is scheduled for a possible vote on Tuesday, March 24 during a Talbot County Council meeting at 5 p.m.