- February 6, 2025
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In the aftermath of the City Commission's decision to not take a definitive action for or against medical marijuana dispensaries in Ormond Beach back in August, the planning board discussed if it should recommend an amendment for the locations where the dispensaries could open shop at its meeting on Feb. 8.
While ultimately the board decided it needed more information and research before making a recommendation to the city, zoning was discussed in depth. Planning Director Steven Spraker said because the City Commission decided not to ban the dispensaries, regulations fell back to the current land development code which gives them a pharmacy use, therefore only allowed in B-1 zoning districts.
However, pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens can open in the commercial B-8 zoning.
“A CVS or a Walgreens is not classified as a pharmacy," Spraker said. "They’re classified as a retail/sales with a pharmacy part of it. The medical marijuana can’t use that part of something — it has to be a standalone use.”
Spraker said the planning board had three options to consider: allow the dispensaries in B-8 zoning, pick a different zoning district to allow them to open in or make no amendment to the code.
The planning board also found out by City Attorney Randy Hayes that there are two groups that have expressed interest in opening a dispensary in Ormond Beach, something a few City Commissioners said was unlikely back in August.
“I think the fact of the matter is, it’s coming. It’s going to happen.”
Lewis Heaster, planning board member
“I just caution us as a board to really look at changing zoning to permit dispensaries in our town,"said planning board member Lori Tolland. "I think we had a missed opportunity when Randy presented it to us and the commission discussed it, and the commission basically said in a summary, ‘Our town is too small. We’ll never have to worry about this.’”
Tolland didn't agree with planning board member Lewis Heaster, who said dispensaries are a retail business, so it would make sense to have them in the retail corridor. He also said it would be good to have data, research or feedback from those business owners to see where they would want to be and where they are locating in other cities before making a recommendation to amend zoning.
“I think putting them in the middle of the city and doing it in retail and making it as accessible as possible for our kids, it’s stupid," Tolland said.
She added that she thinks they should limit them as much as they can as a city because they missed the opportunity to ban them in August.
“I think the fact of the matter is, it’s coming," Heaster said. "It’s going to happen.”
Tolland responded that she knew that, but that they could slow it down. Heaster was disagreed and said it was a national movement.
“It’s better to get ahead of it, discuss it, figure it out and then put the regulations in place,” Heaster said.
