Henderson OKS pot ordinances

Moratorium set to expire in days

Henderson inched closer to the sale of legalized recreational marijuana Tuesday night after city officials approved ordinances days before a 7-month moratorium expires.

The Henderson City Council voted 3-2 to adopt an ordinance to establish retail marijuana regulations and licenses. Councilmen John Marz and Dan Stewart voted against the ordinance.

“Marijuana was legalized in Nevada nine months ago by the voters in our state,” Henderson Mayor Debra March said in a statement.

“It is our responsibility to ensure the industry is regulated to our gold standard of doing business in the city of Henderson. Tonight we took the first steps in approving a process that will work for both residents and businesses.”

In February, the City Council adopted a six-month moratorium on issuing recreational marijuana licenses. The moratorium was extended 30 days last month and will expire Thursday.

Zoning regulations were also adopted, which require cultivation facilities, dispensaries, infusion manufacturing and independent testing labs to be at least 300 feet from community facilities and 1,000 feet from schools, public parks and playgrounds.

Thecityhaslicensedsevenmedical marijuana facilities, including five dispensaries, and two cultivation and production facilities. According to state law, only currently licensed medical marijuana business owners can apply to sell recreational marijuana.

Retail sales in Henderson could begin in October, city spokesman David Cherry said.

Jeremy Aguero, a principal analyst with Applied Analysis, said Henderson could get more than $83 million in retail marijuana tax revenue in fiscal 2021. Aguero also said 750 jobs could be created by the recreational industry.

Moving too fast?

Many residents spoke for the legal sale of recreational marijuana during the public meeting portion, citing tax revenue going toward schools and the positive medical and health effects of marijuana.

“When I was younger, I used to love the high that I would get, but when you bought it from someone, you never knew if it was laced with