While neighboring communities like Joliet, Shorewood, Romeoville, and Bolingbrook have recreational cannabis businesses, the Village of Plainfield is wondering if they should be part of the lucrative enterprise.
To gage the public’s input, the Village of Plainfield placed an advisory referendum on the April ballot asking voters if they want a recreational cannabis business in the community.
Jake Melrose, planning director for Plainfield, said 1,558 people voted yes to allowing recreational cannabis to be sold in the village, compared to 1,527 who were against it.
Melrose reminded the Plainfield Village Board Monday that the referendum results were a small sample of what residents want to see in the community.
“The referendum results represented 6.8 percent of the village’s population,” he said. “Second, the limited population that voted represents a small demographic segment.”
Melrose said Plainfield’s median age is 37 years old with more than 20,000 people between the ages of 21 to 59.
“New data from the Pew Research Center in 2022 shows 59 percent of the total adults surveyed believe recreational cannabis should be legal,” he added.
Melrose told the village board that whenever the State of Illinois releases new dispensary licenses, the village has been approached for this type of business opportunity since 2019.
“From initial discussions with these dispensaries, it is staff’s understanding that one dispensary could represent a minimum of $300,000 in home rules sales tax,” he said.
Village trustee Richard Kiefer said these types of numbers are hard to ignore.
“I want to see Plainfield money stay in Plainfield,” said Kiefer. “What I get frustrated is our money going to Naperville, Oswego, Romeoville and Bolingbrook.”
Village trustee Tom Ruane agreed with Kiefer, saying Plainfield residents are going to neighboring communities to purchase cannabis legally. Ruane also told the board that he carries a medical marijuana card.
“I believe this is a benefit to the community and a benefit for people who really need it,” added Ruane.
But trustee Brian Wojowski was not comfortable with the village allowing businesses to sell marijuana, even though sales are legal in Illinois.
“The money argument rings hollow with me,” said Wojowski. “We need to continue this discussion.”
Plus, Wojowski said, he wants Mayor John Argoudelis to provide input and insight as he was not in attendance at Monday’s workshop due to vacation. The board Monday agreed to hold another meeting on this topic later.
Trustee Cally Larson said she does not want a negative connotation or stigma associated with the community by allowing recreational cannabis businesses to operate in Plainfield.
“I don’t have a problem with medical uses,” said Larson. “But when I look at it for recreational use, I ask what I want Plainfield to look like.”
While she was not on the board at the time, village trustee Margie Bonuchi asked why the non-binding referendum was placed on the ballot in April when there was not a mayoral election and voter turnout was expected to be low.
“Whatever is decided, I am against putting a cannabis business in the Boulevard development (where Costco is located),” she said.
Madhu Mayer – mm@thetimesweekly.com
