CITY HALL — A City Council committee moved Tuesday to remove the prohibition on medical marijuana dispensaries in the Loop.
"I don't know if it's an oversight," said Ald. Edward Burke (14th), lead sponsor of the proposal. But he added that an existing ban on dispensaries in the Loop "may not make any real sense."
Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) agreed, saying state and local restrictions were pushing dispensaries to "less-accessible areas of the city."
"It's not easy for people to reach, especially the elderly," who are more likely to qualify with one of the conditions allowed by the state's pilot medical marijuana program, Reilly said. "I think this is an appropriate change."
"All the other prohibitions still are in existence," Burke said, such as no dispensaries allowed within 1,000 feet of a school or day care center.
The measure passed without opposition and heads to the full Council for final approval next month.
It would affect the so-called "Downtown Core" zoning district that includes high-rises, office buildings, stores, entertainment venues and civic buildings. Burke said it would be especially appropriate to have a dispensary in a qualifying office building that might have medical offices as tenants.
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