ROCK ISLAND — Without much discussion, the Rock Island City Council on Monday night unanimously approved zoning regulations and a 3% sales tax ordinance for cannabis businesses should they decide to open in the city.
The unanimous vote – Alderman Ivory Clark, Ward 1, was absent – comes two weeks after a similar vote occurred with more discussion from city officials.
Rock Island's cannabis ordinance states that all cannabis business establishments must be located at least 100 feet from any residential zoning district.
Cannabis craft growing facilities and cultivation centers will be permitted in all agricultural and industrial zoning districts.
Cannabis infuser, processing and transportation organizations will be permitted in all industrial zoning districts, while packaged product dispensing businesses can be in industrial or business-zoned districts.
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That vote occurred about an hour after several workers from Green Thumb Industries, a cultivation center in the city, spoke at Monday night’s meeting about labor issues and how they had organized a union that apparently isn’t being recognized by GTI.
Some of the labor concerns were laid out during public comment, including the fact that GTI workers had taken a union vote and asked GTI for recognition of their newly formed union on Oct. 10. Workers said Monday night that GTI “refused” to get back to them on the matter.
There was no action formally taken by council after the workers spoke while other workers stood in the back with signs displaying the slogan “I support GTI workers!”
In other action Monday night, council approved the ordering of 3,840 tons of rock salt through the state’s joint purchase agreement from Compass Minerals America, Inc., of Overland, Kansas, at a cost of $264,000.
With possible snow flurries in the forecast this week, Alderman Dylan Parker, Ward 5, jokingly asked city officials if rock salt could be sent overnight. A city employee said there is 1,000 tons of rock salt in storage that the city could use, if needed, before the shipment gets to the city.
Council also unanimously approved setting the city’s trick-or-treating hours on Halloween. It will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday.
