Local News: Sikeston City Council has second reading of recreational marijuana zoning bill (2/1/23)

During Sikeston City Council’s regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 30, it had the second reading and approval of the recreational marijuana zoning bill.

“This ordinance strictly addresses recreational marijuana facilities,” said Sikeston City Manager Jonathan Douglass.

Amendment 3, which was approved by voters in November, amended the previous medicinal marijuana law while also establishing the new recreational marijuana law. Sikeston’s bill, which is No. 6295, brings the city’s zoning laws for medicinal and recreational marijuana operations up to date with state regulations.

The basic framework for the City’s regulations of marijuana facilities is as follows:

— 1,000-foot distance restriction from schools, churches and day cares for all cultivation,

manufacturing and testing facilities; 500-foot distance restriction for dispensaries.

— Hours of operation for dispensaries of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

— No limitations on hours of operation for other facilities

— Dispensaries allowed in General Commercial (C-2), Highway Commercial (C-3), Light

Industrial (IL) and Heavy Industrial (IH) zones

— Infused products manufacturing facilities allowed in IL and IH zones.

— Cultivation facilities allowed in IH and Agricultural/Open Space (AG) zones.

The city had its first reading of bill No. 6296 for the authorization to rezone land on the north side of Baker Lane from Single-Family Residential (R-1) to Single-Family Residential District (R-2) in the City of Sikeston.

The staff received a request from Lambert Engineering and Surveying on behalf of Robin Chambers to rezone 5.530 acres. Chambers would like to change the zoning due to the smaller lot sizes allowed in R-2 zoning.

The planning and zoning committee met on Jan. 10 and passed a favorable recommendation to approve the rezoning request. Chambers is going to develop a gated community at that location.

The first reading and briefing of bill No. 6297 request to subdivide the tract of land on the north side of Baker Lane to be known as Magazine Trace also took place. The planning and zoning committee also met Jan. 10 and approved the subdivision request.

The council also had its second reading in consideration of bill No. 6294 for adult retail definition and was approved.

“This ordinance creates a definition for adult retail or adult novelty shop that essential distinguish from adult entertainment facility, ” said Douglass. “This creates a new definition so if we get another application for that type of business, it will be clear if it’s a novelty shop or not.”

The bill approved will become ordinance No. 6294 and will amend title IV land use, chapter 405 zoning regulations in the municipal code of the city of Sikeston.

In other action, Council:

— Approved the FY22 audit. Every year the city undergoes an independent audit of its financial statements by a certified public accountant. There were no significant findings or discrepancies. The audit of the Fiscal Year 2022 financials has been completed by Beussink, Hey, Roe and Stroeder LLC and is available for review by the City Council and the public. Hard copies of the audit will be available to the Council at the Jan. 30 meeting and it is also posted at https://www.sikeston.org/financial_and_annual_reports/index.php for free 24/7 access by the public.

— Authorized city staff to add Chase Cogdill to have online access to city bank accounts. Cogdill was hired as a staff accountant for the City of Sikeston. Staff requested a motion by the Council to give Cogdill access to their bank accounts and authority to make transfers as needed.

— Sikeston’s Park and Recreation Department presented to the council the action to surplus the Clinton building’s tables and chairs.

“We are seeking approval to surplus 30 round tables, 15 long tables, and 300 chairs for the Clinton building,” said Sikeston Parks and Recreation Director Dustin Care.

The PRD budgeted $20,000 this year to replace the old tables and chairs at the Clinton building.

Once the tables and chairs are surplused, the PRD will accept bids from anyone interested in purchasing them.

Sikeston PRD was also seeking approval to purchase portable new radios for the department.

Care said the last they purchased new radios was in 2013 and that they were in need of purchasing new ones and upgrading them.

The Parks and Recreation Department budgeted $14,000 in the Capital Improvement Fund for the purchase of seven new portable radios. Motorola Solutions quoted $15,217.79 on the MissouriBUYS Bid Board. In the past, the City of Sikeston acquired through the MissouriBUYS Bid Board, which provides cooperative purchasing for government and educational entities. Buying from Motorola Solutions via MissouriBUYS satisfies state bidding standards.

Care added the $15,217.79 is over what they had budgeted for the purchase of new radios; however, they do expect to have unused funds from other line items within the Capital Improvement Fund to cover the additional costs.

The city council approved of the PRD surplus the Clinton building’s tables and chairs, for the purchase of new radios.

— Council approved of Sikeston Department of Public Safety requested for the purchase of new battery power extrication equipment.

— Council approved of Sikeston Department of Public Safety authorization to purchase multi-data terminal computers with funding from Local Violent Crime Prevention Grant.The total cost would be $21,948 of which $19,896 would be covered with the approval of this grant. The difference is $2,052 and that would be paid by the city. The MDTs would be purchased from Turn-Key Mobile, Inc. in Jefferson City, Missouri, and would be issued to the criminal investigation unit to combat violent crime.

— Council approved of engineering services contract (Sikeston Airport) with Hanson Professional Services Inc.

The Feb. 6 Sikeston City Council meeting will be held at Lincoln University Extension, located at 214 Lincoln St.