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Medical Cannabis
On June 24, 2022, the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors approved the DeSoto County Medical Cannabis Ordinance and Amendments to the DeSoto County Zoning Ordinance for the purpose of addressing Medical Cannabis businesses.
These adopted regulations are intended to ensure the public health, safety and welfare of residents of the County, persons engaged in Medical Cannabis Activities including their employees, neighboring property owners, and end users of medicinal cannabis. To this end, these regulations identify criteria and regulations of Medical Cannabis Activities in supplementation to such other laws, requirements and regulations that may be adopted by the State of Mississippi and the Governing Authority applicable to the Medical Cannabis Activities.
DeSoto County Medical Cannabis Regulations
DeSoto County Medical Cannabis Ordinance
General Provisions Applicable to all Medical Cannabis Facilities
- The following must be done before any Medical Cannabis business activities are started:
- A business privilege license must be obtained from the County Tax Collector
- A business permit must be obtained from the County Planning Department
- All Applicants shall submit facility location with confirmation it meets distance requirements
- All Cannabis business applications, reports, and document that applicants send to the state, must also be sent to the County including, but not limited to, annual licenses, revocations, reports, notices, etc.
- A Medical Cannabis Activities privilege permit may be denied or revoked for failure to comply with the Ordinance requirements
Required Fees:
The following fees must be paid to the Planning Department
- Application Fee: $1,000
- Yearly Renewal Fee: $500
Site Plans:
All Applicants are required to submit a comprehensive Site Plan with the following;
- Property survey
- Odor and ventilation control plan: no excessive odor escapes to neighboring property
- Lighting plans: no excessive light escapes to neighboring property between sunset & sunrise
- Security plans
- Water and wastewater service plans
- Materials management plan for proper disposal of related waste
- If the activities involve storage and use of hazardous materials at a reportable quantity, applicants shall include a hazardous materials management plan
Remediation Plan:
May be required by the County Planning Department
- Remediation if facility remains inactive for 12 or more consecutive months
- Surety bond or letter of credit may be required
- Amount sufficient to cover costs of proposed remediation plan
Inspections:
All Medical Cannabis facilities must allow access to County code enforcement, law enforcement officers, or other agents or employees
- To determine compliance with ordinance standards
- Annual on-site compliance inspection
- At least 24-hour notice
- Conducted by County officials during regular business hours
- Elements of Inspections may include:
- Facility
- Equipment
- Books
- Records
- Licenses
- Real and personal property that are part of Medical Cannabis Activities
Hours of Operation:
- Cultivation
- A Zone: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm Monday - Sunday
- M1, M2: No hours of operation limit
- Dispensary
- C1, C2, C3, PB: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm Monday - Sunday
- Disposal
- A Zone: 7:00 am -7:00 pm Monday - Sunday
- M1, M2: No hours of operation limit
- Processing
- A Zone: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm Monday - Sunday
- M1, M2: No hours of operation limit
- Research
- A Zone: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm Monday - Sunday
- M1, M2, C2, C3, C4, O, PB: No hours of operation limit
- Testing
- A Zone: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm Monday - Sunday
- M1, M2, C2, C3, C4, O, PB: No hours of operation limit
- Transportation
- A Zone: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm Monday - Sunday
- M1, M2, C2, C3: No hours of operation limit
NOTE: Inactive operations of minimal activity, such as security surveillance, automated irrigation and “grow lighting,” are not limited by these hours of operation.
Enforcement:
A violation of any provision of this Ordinance or any state or local laws, regulations, ordinances, or codes shall be deemed to be a public nuisance and subject to enforcement
- A person violating this ordinance (if no other penalty is specifically mentioned)
- First offense: $100-$250 fine
- Second offense within two years: $250-$500 fine and/or incarceration up to 30 days
- Third and subsequent offenses within two years: $500-$1,000 and/or incarceration up to 180 days.
- No portion of fines may be suspended
- Each violation of any provision of ordinance is deemed a separate offense
- The Court may order the violator to pay restitution
- The County may seek to stop violations by taking civil action
- County may request injunctive relief
- Court order prohibiting ongoing violations
- Requiring compliance with this ordinance
- If the County is the prevailing party
- County will be entitled to recovery of cost of prosecution
- County may request injunctive relief
- Civil Penalty imposed in addition to the penalties above
- $200 a day per violation
- Accrue each day of each violation until violation is abated.
- Penalty begins 72 hours after notice of violation has been provided to operator
- Notice provided via hand delivery, certified mail, or posted on property
- $200 a day per violation
Amendments to the DeSoto County Zoning Ordinance
DeSoto County Regulations Applicable to all Medical Cannabis Facilities
- No Cannabis Facilities allowed in AR Zone
- All Cannabis Facilities are considered a businesses
- All Cannabis Facilities: Access road/driveway must be a hard surface
- All Cannabis Facilities must submit a Site Plan with all applications
- All Cannabis business applications, reports, and document that are sent to the state must also be sent to county
- All Cannabis businesses prohibited within 1,000 feet of the nearest boundary line of a school, church, or child care facility–unless the school, church, or child care facility grants the cannabis business a waiver to locate as close as 500 feet
Cultivation & Processing:
- Same zoning regulations for both
- A Zone
- Not in a platted or recorded subdivision
- Three (3) acre minimum
- Setback: 100 ft. from property line
- Conditional Use if there is a residential structure
- Zones M1 & M2: Allowed by right
- Not in a PUD
Dispensaries:
- Zones C1, C2, C3, PB: Allowed by right
Disposal:
- Zone A
- Conditional Use
- Setback: 100 ft. from property line
- M1, M2: Allowed by right
Research & Testing:
- Same zoning regulations for both
- Zone A
- Where Commercial is allowed
- Three (3) or more acres
- Setback: 100 ft. from property line
- M1, M2: Conditional Use
- C2, C3, C4, O & PB: Allowed by right
Transportation:
- A Zoning
- Conditional Use
- Three (3) or more acres
- Setback: 100 ft. from property line
- Zones M1, M2, C2, C3: Allowed by right
Governor Tate Reeves signed the Medical Cannabis Act into law on February 2, 2022. The Mississippi Department of Revenue oversees regulations and licensing of dispensaries. The Mississippi State Department of Health oversees the rest of Mississippi's Medical Cannabis Program.
The Medical Cannabis Act dictates that MSDH oversee the following Medical Cannabis Regulations and Licensing : (The links are to web pages maintained by MSDH.)
- Medical Cannabis Cultivation
- Medical Cannabis Processing
- Medical Cannabis Patient Registry and ID Cards
- Medical Cannabis Commercial Transportation
- Medical Cannabis Disposal
- Medical Cannabis Work Permits
- Medical Cannabis Testing
More Information
Questions should be directed to the DeSoto County Planning Office.
- Address: 365 Losher Street Suite 200, Hernando, MS 38651
- Phone: 662-469-8023.
- Email: Planning@DesotoCountyMS.gov