A substitute ordinance was proposed on Tuesday, October 15, 2019, at a special zoning committee meeting. This blog post reflects only the content of the original ordinance. Some differences include reducing the zoning districts to permit a dispensary as a special use to C2, C3, DX, and DC. The proposed ordinance would have permitted dispensaries as a special use also in B3, C1, and DS.

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The City of Chicago proposed zoning rules for adult use (recreational) "cannabis business establishments" today in ordinance O2019-6926. The rules specify where marijuana dispensaries, cultivators (farmers), craft growers, and infusers and processors would be allowed to open a business.

What are the different "cannabis business establishments"?

A “cannabis business establishment" is a zoning "use" category that would be established by the ordinance, and it includes the following business types (which are also defined in the state law):

Cannabis craft grower

Cannabis cultivation center [farm]

Adult use cannabis dispensary [recreational]

Medical cannabis dispensary

Cannabis infuser

Cannabis processor

Where would cannabis businesses be allowed?

Five different types of cannabis business establishments are identified: Recreational and medical cannabis dispensaries, on-site cannabis consumption, craft growers, and infusers and processors would be permitted in the following zones. Each type requires its own special use approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals. The uses are permitted the following zones, with a special use:

B3

C1

C2

C3

DC (except in the downtown exclusion zone)

DX (except in the downtown exclusion zone)

DS (except in the downtown exclusion zone)

These are the same zones where current rules permit medical cannabis dispensaries.

The minimum distance between recreational dispensaries and sensitive uses would be 500 feet, and the only sensitive use would be schools. The distance is measured from any school entrance to the lot line of the dispensary. A previously proposed ordinance – proposed by a group of alders – would have included day cares and parks as sensitive uses.

The ordinance also proposes that a dispensary, and any other cannabis business establishment, cannot be built in a building with a dwelling unit – this is also consistent with current code for medical dispensaries.

Per state law, a recreational dispensary cannot be within 1,500 feet of an existing recreational or medical cannabis dispensary.

MAPS can create custom site selection maps to help you locate a suitable location in any neighborhood, ward, or ZIP code.

Where would on-site consumption be allowed?

Consuming pot on-site would require a second special use approval in all of the same zoning districts that permit a dispensary (see above).

Where are the seven districts?

Between January 1, 2020, and April 30, 2020, up to seven dispensaries would be allowed in each of the seven geographic districts that Chicago is proposing – the 11 existing medical dispensaries count toward this cap of 49. On or after May 1, 2020, up to 14 dispensaries would be allowed in each of the districts.

The seven districts are named as follows (click on the link to see a full-screen map on our partner Chicago Cityscape):