BROOK PARK, Ohio — Mayor Ed Orcutt has vetoed two medical marijuana ordinances City Council adopted on Aug. 23.
One ordinance would have allowed the establishment of dispensaries in Brook Park; the other set specific requirements for operating such businesses.
Law Director Carol Horvath said during the Aug. 23 meeting that the city could “incur some liability” due to the narrow, limited U-7A zoning district in which dispensaries could be located. She recommended that City Council seek expanded zoning before adopting the ordinances.
Council passed both ordinances by a 5-2 vote, however, with Councilmen Rick Salvatore and Rich Scott voting no.
The mayor in his Sept. 1 veto letter encouraged council members “to look at alternate legislation that would be more beneficial to the city.”
He later told cleveland.com that he didn’t know at the Aug. 23 meeting how he would proceed if council passed the two ordinances. Orcutt said he “took some time to think about it” and consulted with others before arriving at the veto decision.
“I would like council to expand the territory in which these types of businesses would be able to operate in order to avoid any liability to the city,” Orcutt said. “I think the law director for over a month had mentioned to council about enlarging the zoning district.
“In the end, I believe (the legislation) would have been something that could harm the city, and I just need to protect it as the mayor.”
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