Planning Commission Minutes 2018 12 13

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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes December 13, 2018 Page 3 of 21 Zuccaro confirmed that the buffers would create the natural limits and they would also help prevent a commercial marijuana center with multiple stores in the same area. Williams asked why marijuana businesses were banned downtown. Zuccaro replied that cities like Lafayette had bans on some commercial districts based on the character of that area. Williams asked why that rationale would not be applied to residential areas. Zuccaro stated that the same rationale could be applied to residential areas. At the last Council discussion, there were different views about whether to allow marijuana businesses downtown and Council would appreciate that discussion on the record, as well. He also asked the Commission to comment on the proposed cultivation regulations. Hsu asked where the 5,000-square foot limit for retail spaces came from. Zuccaro replied that it came from talking to current stores about what would work for retail space needs while maintaining a limit. Howe asked if there was a current supply/demand issue with the existing two stores. Zuccaro stated that he did not know, but the inquiries to open up stores suggest that there is demand. Howe asked if the community had complained that the current stores were too busy. Zuccaro replied that they had not had those complaints from the community. He turned the commissioners' attention to the emails from the public that were in their packets and on the dais. Hoefner asked if there could be two more retail stores in the current shopping area where the two stores are now. Meredyth Muth, City Clerk, replied that there was a day care to the north of Lowe's that would preclude that shopping area from having another store. She added that the City was processing another license under the current regulations. Hsu asked if that store would be excluded under the 1,500-foot buffer. Muth confirmed that it would. Hoefner asked if the buffer would apply to the distance between the two existing stores. Zuccaro replied that the existing stores would be grandfathered in. Williams asked what would happen if the proposal was voted down in the Planning Commission.