CANNABIS OPERATOR RESTRICTIONS Council Karla Batt left expressed that the passage of an ordinance prohibiting cannabis operators and distributors from operating within the Village of Archbold must be handled within an accelerated timeframe due to the official legalization of marijuana in Ohio on Thursday December 7
By: Amy Wendt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
amy@thevillagereporter.com
On Monday, December 4, Archbold Village Council convened at the Scout Cabin in Ruhiley Park for its regular meeting with Councilors Brad Short, Chad Kern, Kevin Eicher, Karla Ball, Vaughn Bentz, and Kevin Morton present.
Also in attendance were Mayor Brad Grime, Village Administrator Donna Dettling, and Assistant Village Administrator Aaron Alt.
Council approved the November 20 meeting minutes and also the payment of bills and payroll in the amount of $739,831.06.
Following suit with other area municipalities, council passed Ordinance 2023-54 which prohibits adult-use cannabis operators, cultivators, and dispensaries from operating within the Village of Archbold limits.
Council Karla Ball added that there was discussion about whether or not the measure should be passed without allowing the public an opportunity to weigh in.
However, it was established that an emergency declaration was necessary due to the official legalization of recreational marijuana use in Ohio on Thursday, December 7.
“This has nothing to do with personal use, it’s strictly the selling, the commercial growing, the commercial distribution, that sort of thing.”
“And we may need to come back to it at some point in the future depending on what comes down the road,” Ball further elaborated.
Moving on to the next legislative item, council addressed and passed Ordinance 2023-55 to amend Income Tax Chapter 33 of the Codified Ordinances pertaining to municipal income tax.
Dettling advised that a synopsis of the state income tax changes was distributed to council members for review and she further noted that the matter must be addressed as an emergency since the state has already mandated the changes and the village is obligated to update its corresponding legislation to match the state’s new law by January 1, 2024.
In a housekeeping matter, council passed Resolution 2023-56 to authorize the 2024 annual renewal of its agreement for a Countywide Emergency Management Agency.
Zoning became a topic of discussion when Ordinance 2023-57 on the agenda was addressed. Assistant Administrator Alt brought to the attention of council that the ordinance included proposed amendments discussed at the October Planning Commission meeting.
Specific changes to the village’s zoning codes include adding a conditional use designation to tourist homes such as “Air BNB” properties.
Alt noted that the ordinance also includes the addition of conditional use zoning for small box discount stores.
Alt went on to clarify, that passing the ordinance would present the opportunity for council to rescind the small box moratorium to allow dollar stores such as Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Family Dollar to be in conditional use B2 zones only, subject to village planning approval. “…that puts the responsibility on the Village Planning Commission rather than the village council to make that decision,” noted Alt.
Other changes addressed in the ordinance include parking area requirements, side yard sheds or accessory structures, and demolition. Upon declaring an emergency, Ordinance 2023-57 to amend Chapter 152, of the Zoning Code of Archbold was passed by council.
Later in the meeting council also passed Resolution 2023-60 rescinding Resolution 2023-09 originally passed in March of 2023 which established a moratorium on the acceptance of applications relating to the establishment of small box discount stores.
Also before council were Resolutions 2023-58 to authorize the entering into an annexation agreement with the German Township Trustees and Resolution 2023-59 allowing a Statement of Services to be provided by the Village of Archbold concerning that annexation.
Alt noted that Mark Storrer, owner of the 11.217-acre tract of farmland situated between Archbold High School and County Road 24, petitioned for the annexation.
Following an emergency declaration, both resolutions were approved by council. The proposed annexation must also be okayed by the German Township Trustees and the Fulton County Commissioners before it is finalized.
Several committee and board meeting minutes were before council for review including those from the Street & Sidewalk Committee, the Utility Committee, and the Police & Fire Committee who all met on November 20.
The Park Board Meeting packet from November 29 was also reviewed with councilor Kern noting that the highly anticipated splash pad should be finished by the end of 2023.
In departmental reports, November 2023 Income tax receipts were discussed with Dettling noting that income tax revenue is up 15% overall however withholdings are down 1.5%.
An investment report from October 2023, the November Fire & EMS Call Response Report, and the November Street Department Labor & Fleet Report were also reviewed.
Before closing the meeting, Mayor Brad Grime took a moment to share that he is pleased with the way the Community Garden project has been progressing over the year.
Councilor Ball added that the group also organizes food preservation classes and is positively serving the community in other ways.
Council reconvened on December 5 to meet with candidates interested in filling the council seat currently held by Brad Short.
Short, elected to serve as German Township Trustee after the new year, will be stepping down from his council post effective December 31, 2023, to take on his new role. The next regular council meeting will be held on Monday, December 18, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.
