Normal Council denies special ordinance for cannabis

NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD)– Normal has denied a permit for a marijuana dispensary at Monday night’s Council meeting.

The ordinance was for granting a special use permit for adult-use cannabis.

According to their website, High Haven is a woman-owned, minority-owner social equity business that was seeking to make its mark in Normal at 106 Mall Drive near the McDonald’s, Target and Chick-fil-A.

While the Michigan based dispensary could bring additional business to the town, Mayor Chris Koos was afraid of highlighting drug use.

“What’s the number one cause of death for people in America between the ages of 18 and 40? Fentanyl. I don’t see the day we’re going to have fentanyl dispensaries by any means,” he said. “But just to make the point that we have to be realistic about what we do with businesses that are regulated and have good intentions as compared to what really happens in the broader world.”

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Councilwoman Chemberly Harris was the only member to vote in favor of the special use permit.

“How do we truly legislate morality? It’s difficult because everyone has a different perspective because we come from different backgrounds and we have different perspectives,” she said. “In our situations, our life circumstances, whether it be due to our socioeconomic, our education, so many things play into what we see as either acceptable or unacceptable in these spaces.”

Following the lengthy cannabis discussion council unanimously approved the four ordinances that will allow for the development of Infiniti Pointe Subdivision. It is a 72.86 acre plot of land northwest of Parkside Road and West Hovey Avenue.

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