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VIRGINIA BEACH — If state legislators and Virginia’s new governor legalize retail marijuana sales this year, localities will have to act fast to regulate an anticipated influx of businesses. Getting ahead of the potential change, Virginia Beach is beginning to consider laws to oversee adult use cannabis and dispensaries.
On Tuesday, the City Council heard recommendations from the city’s Cannabis Advisory Task Force. The 16-member group was established by the council in 2022 and is comprised of broad representatives of law enforcement, schools, city and business.
Among the recommendations made by the city’s task force, the city should consider a review and approval procedure for business applications.
“The first wave of applications will be substantial, and the city should plan,” said Andrew Lock, who served as the task force chair in 2024 and 2025.
A previous legislative proposal, which was vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, would have allowed localities to opt out of a retail market. But the Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market recently rolled out a legislative proposal that gets rid of that option.
The new proposal does allow localities to adopt ordinances related to cannabis use and sales. It could be tweaked as an anticipated bill makes its way through the General Assembly.
A cannabis retail market could be coming to Virginia as soon as November, if the General Assembly passes the legislation and Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger signs off on it. Since 2021, Virginians have been able to legally possess marijuana for personal use but unable to legally purchase it.
“Implementation of an adult use application may happen rapidly,” Lock said.
Other considerations could be laws governing the operating hours of retail stores, where they can be located and how many within a certain distance of each other, the task force noted.
In Virginia Beach, the City Council may want to limit the number of cannabis businesses in particular zones such as the resort area, Lock said.
“Do we want a cannabis store every block?” he said.
The city could also limit a retail store’s signage in terms of number and size.
Also, the task force suggested the City Council consider how it will use revenue from cannabis sales tax, which could replenish the dwindling tax revenue from cigarette sales in recent years, Lock said. The joint commission proposal increases the amount localities can tax retail cannabis from 2.5% to 3.5%.
In terms of community outreach, the task force suggested the city implement health risk campaigns and education programs for workplaces and schools. Providing training to law enforcement, related to drugged driving will also be important, Lock said.
Only a third of Virginia drivers consider driving under the influence of marijuana to be extremely dangerous, and most perceive it to be less dangerous than texting and driving or driving after consuming alcohol, according to a 2024 survey by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority.
As far as next steps, the City Council will be getting regular updates on legislation moving through the General Assembly beginning next week and can begin to activate some of the task force’s recommendations if needed, City Manager Patrick Duhaney said.
Councilman Michael Berlucchi, who served as a liaison to the task force, said the group worked to address ways to mitigate any downsides of a recreational use model and to optimize economic development and small business opportunities.
He also noted that people have mixed opinions on cannabis and the recommendations aim to address that.
“These changes are going to catch a lot of people by surprise,” Berlucchi said. “I think the community engagement that you noted is going to be critical for Virginia Beach.”
Mayor Bobby Dyer agreed.
“It’s a situation that we just have to come to the table and deal with,” Dyer said. “If and when the time really does come, we’ll be far better prepared.”
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
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