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Inverness council set for first vote on dispensary ban
FloridaGDELTGDELT event0% biasedMon, Jun 15, 2026, 12:00 AM
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The Green Dragon Dispensary is one of several medical marijuana dispensaries inside the Inverness city limits.It is located in the former Capital City bank building in the Inverness Shopping Plaza on U.S.The Inverness City Council on Tuesday is expected to take up prohibiting any additional medical marijuana dispensaries from opening within city limits.Council members will hear the first reading of an ordinance banning future dispensaries.If approved, the proposal would return July 7 for a final public hearing and adoption vote.The ordinance would reinstate a citywide prohibition on new medical marijuana treatment centers, commonly known as dispensaries.Existing businesses would not be affected.Under the proposal, it would become unlawful for any person or business entity to establish a medical marijuana dispensing facility within Inverness city limits.The measure comes after months of discussion between council members, city staff and residents over whether Inverness should allow additional dispensaries to locate in the city.Residents first began pressing the issue in December, arguing that the city already has enough dispensaries serving the area and expressing concerns about future growth.The debate continued through several meetings as council members explored whether state law would allow the city to regulate where dispensaries could locate rather than prohibit them altogether.At the council’s May meeting, members directed staff to bring back an ordinance banning future dispensaries after learning that Florida law provides limited options for local governments seeking to impose location-specific restrictions.Council member Gene Davis previously said city officials were advised that while cities retain the authority to prohibit dispensaries entirely, they have less flexibility to regulate them through zoning standards that treat them differently than pharmacies.“We do have the option to do a prohibition, which would mean we would prohibit them, and no more would come in,” Davis said during the May discussion.Several residents urged the council to act, arguing that additional dispensaries are unnecessary given the number already operating in the area.Not all council members agreed with criticisms directed at medical marijuana itself.Councilwoman Linda Bega noted that medical marijuana is used by patients with serious illnesses and cautioned against misconceptions about its purpose.“We’re talking about people with cancer, glaucoma, Parkinson’s and so many really horrible illnesses and diseases that people do get help with medical marijuana,” Bega said.Councilwoman Jacquie Hepfer similarly said many residents she had spoken with did not view existing dispensaries as a significant community problem.Still, several council members indicated they believe the city’s current supply is sufficient and expressed support for preventing additional locations from opening.There are currently eight medical marijuana dispensaries operating in Citrus County, including two inside Inverness city limits: Trulieve at 950 W.and Green Dragon at 1500 N.The county’s other dispensaries include The Flowery on State Road 44 west of Inverness, four locations in the Crystal River area and one in Homosassa.The county and city of Crystal River already have medical marijuana dispensary bans in place.The city’s relationship with dispensaries has shifted over time.Inverness adopted a prohibition shortly after Florida authorized medical marijuana treatment centers in 2017 but repealed the ban in 2019, allowing dispensaries in certain zoning districts under standards similar to pharmacies.Tuesday’s vote would mark the first step toward restoring that prohibition.The Inverness City Council meets at 5:30 p.m.Tuesday at City Hall, 212 W.