Medical marijuana dispensary recommended to Orange Park Town Council

Residents speak for, against dispensary at Town Hall

ORANGE PARK, Fla. – The Orange Park Planning and Zoning Board on Thursday voted 3-1 to recommend that the Town Council consider a medical marijuana dispensary. 

The vote was held after over an hour of discussion during a public meeting to gauge residents' perspectives on medical dispensaries in the town of Orange Park -- one day after a dispensary opened on Jacksonville's Southside.

"I think the town is moving forward," said Board Chairman Pete Johnston. "The state is directing the movement with that, so being in compliance with the state is where we should be."

Florida lawmakers have given local governments the responsibility of deciding whether to add medical marijuana dispensaries. Last year, Orange Park became one of several local municipalities to impose a moratorium on them.

The town even shut down a dispensary last November after police said it was operating illegally.

Stephen Smith, who is on the Planning and Zoning Board, told News4Jax that the Orange Park moratorium is in effect until October, giving town leaders about three months to make a decision on whether to allow dispensaries. He said public input will be important.

Smith said finalizing Thursday’s meeting results is something of a first step toward allowing dispensaries.

"It ultimately affects the citizens of the town and the county," Smith said. “That's what the medical marijuana dispensary amendment is for."

It would be up to local governments to decide how the dispensaries would be zoned. The law mandates that dispensaries cannot be within 500 feet of a school.

Dispensaries licensed by the state can sell cannabis as edibles or oils to those holding prescriptions from a physician and the order will be placed into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry. Smokable marijuana is not legal under current state rules, although that limitation has been legally challenged.

Though Thursday's vote is one step closer to the town of Orange Park having a medical marijuana dispensary, there are still several other rules that would need to be followed:

  • Dispensaries will be treated similar to pharmacies.
  • Moving forward, pharmacies can only be in three zones: commercial general, commercial intensive or a planned unit development.
  • Pharmacies can not be within 500 feet of each other. 
  • Orange Park residents News4Jax spoke with have varying views.

    "Good, maybe, because the town can make money on the fact that people are going to buy it anyway," Orange Park resident Danielle Jones said.

    "I think we will have more problems. We would probably have more robberies,” Orange Park resident Dee Dixon said. “You know, people trying to get to it and get some."

    It's highly possibly that the Town Council will approve a medical marijuana dispensary, with the Planning and Zoning Board saying 67 percent of the town supports the idea. 

    The Town Council will also be holding a public hearing before the vote, so it's likely this won't be finalized for weeks. 

    According to state records, there are seven organizations licensed to cultivate, possess and dispense medical marijuana and 10 locations where it is available: Jacksonville, Gainesville, Orlando, Clearwater, Edgewater, Miami, Pensacola, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee and Tampa.

    The Florida Department of Health's Office of Marijuana Use has posted complete rules and links to prescribing physicians.


    About the Authors:

    Veteran journalist and Emmy Award winning anchor

    Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.