Amendment of Municipal Code Section 17-9-0129 allowing lawful cannabis dispensaries to modify operations to include medical cannabis without triggering Section 17-9-0129.1
Votes › Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards › 44th Ward: Bennett R. Lawson
Clerk's short name: Same-site medical authorization
- Record number: SO2026-0028463
- Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
- Status: Final
- Sponsor: Bennett R. Lawson (44th Ward)
- Co-sponsors (1): William Conway (34th Ward)
- Committee: Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
- Introduction Date: Sep 23, 2026
- Final Action Date: Oct 14, 2026
- Official record: Office of the City Clerk
Roll call: Passed Oct 14, 2026
49 yea, 0 nay. On motion of Alderperson Villegas, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Harris, the resolution was Adopted. Voted at the City Council meeting of Oct 14, 2026.
Yea (49): Daniel La Spata (1), Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Silvana Tabares (23), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50)
Not voting (1): Monique L. Scott (24)
Impact report
Written by AI from the official document. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.
This ordinance would let a legally established adult use cannabis dispensary add medical cannabis sales without going through the extra zoning review in Section 17-9-0129.1, as long as it does not physically expand.
Who it affects
- Adult use cannabis dispensary owners: They could add medical cannabis dispensary use to their existing business without triggering the Section 17-9-0129.1 requirements.
- Medical cannabis patients: Existing adult use dispensaries would be allowed to add medical cannabis dispensary operations at the same site.
- Dispensaries planning to grow: Any physical expansion of the use, buildings, or zoning lot would still require a special use approval or a type one planned development, as applicable.
What changes
- A lawfully established adult use cannabis dispensary could change its operations to also serve as a medical cannabis dispensary.
- Adding medical use alone would not trigger the Section 17-9-0129.1 planned development requirements.
- Physically expanding the use, structures, or zoning lot would still trigger special use rules (Section 17-13-0910) or type one planned development rules (Section 17-9-0129.1), as applicable.
Where: 44th Ward
When: Upon its passage and approval
Timeline
- Sep 23, 2026: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
- Oct 13, 2026: Substituted
- Oct 13, 2026: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
- Oct 14, 2026: Passed, City Council (49 yea, 0 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Villegas, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Harris, the resolution was Adopted.
Documents
- Cannabis.pdf (Legislation)
- SO2026-0028463 Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)
Related legislation
More from Bennett R. Lawson
- Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 17-17 establishing allowances for certain bay windows when calculating floor area ratio (O2026-0028836, introduced Sep 23, 2026, Referred)
- Amendment of Annual Appropriation Ordinance to transfer funds from 44th Ward Wage Allowance Account to Aldermanic Expense Account for Year… (O2026-0028398, introduced Sep 23, 2026, Passed)
- Submission of public question by referendum to Chicago 44th Ward voters on February 23, 2027 primary election on if Illinois Department of… (R2026-0028831, introduced Sep 23, 2026, Referred)
More on Municipal Code Amendments
- Amendment of Municipal Code Section 9-24-065 regarding ability to pay pilot program (O2026-0029654, introduced Dec 8, 2026, Council Introduction)
- Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 3, 4 and 8 regarding technical and scriveners' corrections (2027 Municipal Code Corrections Ordinance) (O2026-0029649, introduced Oct 21, 2026, Referred)
- Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14A, 15, 17 regarding management, structure, powers and functions of various… (O2026-0029644, introduced Oct 21, 2026, Referred)
Sources and methods: how we get and count this data · report an error