Council hears proposal for parks improvement bond, medical marijuana ordinance changes

Flowers and greenery welcome visitors to Ellis-Porter Riverside Park in Jefferson City in this August 2019 photo.
Flowers and greenery welcome visitors to Ellis-Porter Riverside Park in Jefferson City in this August 2019 photo.

Funding for the next 20 years of improvements to Jefferson City's parks system was up for discussion at Monday night's Jefferson City Council meeting.

The council introduced a bill which would authorize the city to issue special obligation improvement bonds, which would not exceed $7.5 million, to the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department for improvements to the city's parks.

Discussions around the bonds have been taking place for about two years, Parks Director Todd Spalding told the News Tribune in September.

The parks department would be responsible for approximately $500,000 in annual debt service per year, City Counselor Ryan Moehlman said. If the department does not cover the bond, the City Council has the authority to use parks sales taxes to cover the fund.

The bonds would be sold by the city via competitive sale Nov. 20, according to the proposed bill, allowing investment banks to submit electronic "bids" to purchase the bonds. The city would then select the "winning" bid - the one that would result in the lowest true interest cost to the city and that also meets certain criteria set out in the ordinance.

The bonds will be used for improvements to the city's parks system as outlined in the 20-year master plan. The majority of the improvements will be made to Community Park, McClung Park and Ellis-Porter Riverside Park.

In other business, the council voted on an amendment to the zoning code regarding medical marijuana testing facilities.

The council approved the bill 9-0. Ward 5 Councilman Jon Hensley abstained from voting.

The bill, the third in a process by planning division staff, will expand permitted districts for testing facilities and transportation facilities to the general commercial districts of the city. They were previously only allowed in light industrial and general industrial districts.

Also relating to medical marijuana, the council heard proposals for two bills which would amend city ordinances regarding medical marijuana.

The two ordinance changes were recommended for discussion by council by the Jefferson City Public Safety Committee at their November meeting.

The first would add a new section to the area of the city code that deals with the criminal aspects of possessing marijuana. The change would allow for the possession and use of medical marijuana and other drug paraphernalia.

It would also include a penalty for failing to produce a state-issued medical marijuana license, an explanation of how to properly dispose of medical marijuana and residential cultivation rules, as well as rules for consumption locations and public nuisances.

The proposed ordinance states smells or noxious odors from the consumption, smoking or cultivation of marijuana by someone with a valid state-issued license will be treated as a public nuisance.

Language would also be added clarifying that using marijuana would still be illegal, except as authorized by the new section of code.

The section proposed change would be to the section of code regarding business licenses. All facilities will be required to have a city business license but won't be required to have any other city-is-sued licenses.

City Counselor Ryan Moehlman said businesses would also be subject to losing their city license should they become disqualified from or otherwise lose their state certification.

The ordinance also specifies facilities can't make sales or be open to the public from 7 p.m.-6 a.m.

Medical marijuana facilities must have an adequate security plan in accordance with state regulations, including security video preserved for at least 90 days, a method of immediate and automatic notification to local law enforcement in the event of a breach of security and professionally monitored robbery alarm and burglar alarm systems.

A public hearing on these bills will take place at the next meeting, Nov. 18.