BUTTE - The Butte County Attorney’s Office claims that the Mining City is too cluttered with marijuana dispensaries and wants to change the current ordinance to put further restrictions on where they can locate and also a cap on the number of future dispensaries.
How many marijuana dispensaries are too many? Check out our video for an in-depth look at Butte County's plans to cap their number and restrict locations
“As everybody can see, we have quite a few marijuana shops and, I mean, you can drive down Harrison Avenue and see half a dozen of them, you come uptown, there’s another half dozen more. And we have enough,” said Butte County Attorney Matt Enrooth.
The proposed ordinance changes would not affect already existing dispensaries. Some of the proposed changes would not allow a new dispensary to operate within 1,500 feet of a school, church, or daycare. Enrooth also wants to make it so that dispensaries can’t operate within 1,500 feet of each other. The decision to change the local law was brought about by complaints from the public over recent increases in marijuana shops.
“You know, I wish it had been done a couple of years ago, but it wasn’t, and so we got some shops closer to schools and churches and things than we would like,” said Enrooth.
The operator of one dispensary off Harrison Avenue can see how the changes could be positive for existing shops.
“I think it would benefit the businesses because there wouldn’t be so much competition going around,” said Matt Roberts of Bloom Dispensary.
Enrooth said the proposed law will also seek an undetermined cap on the number of dispensaries allowed to operate in the city.
Recreational and medical marijuana has been legal in Montana since 2021, but some fear the marijuana industry is facing a backlash.
“In a way, I think the industry is a little bit under attack. You know, I think cannabis has really helped with lessening people with wanting to drink, even with smoking tobacco,” said Roberts.
A draft of the ordinance changes is expected to go before the council of commissioners in July.
