Rockford City Council doubles down on rejection of cannabis lounges

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — City Council members have doubled down on their rejection of cannabis lounges in Rockford.

Aldermen voted 9-5 against a motion to reconsider their no vote made three weeks ago.

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City Council can reconsider a vote so long as a member from the prevailing side makes a motion at the next regular meeting. On Monday, Alderman Bill Rose made that motion, saying he learned new information about the way cannabis lounges are insured that changed his opinion.

A vote to reconsider does not mean the motion is approved, but it would put the issue back before the council for new debate and a new vote.

The goal was for the city to tweak its proposal to require that operators have a special type of insurance that covers the added liability of cannabis lounges, Rose said. Once the proposal was adjusted, it would have been brought back to the council for a future vote.

However, opponents of the measure stood against reconsidering the vote.

The council had previously voted 8-3 on April 15 against creating rules to allow for cannabis lounges. Aldermen Jonathan Logemann, Gabrielle Torina and Janessa Wilkins had voted in favor at the time. Logemann, however, was against reconsidering. Rose, Gina Meeks and Jeff Bailey joined Torina and Wilkins in voting to reconsider.

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The council was being asked to create rules to allow for cannabis lounges, but that vote itself would not have permitted any lounges to open.

If the rules had been approved, any proposed lounge would have been required to receive a license to operate similar to how liquor licenses are distributed. Only three businesses would have been able to apply for the cannabis license. They are the state-licensed dispensaries of Lyfe Dispensary, 6774 Troy Drive, Mapleglen Care Center, 4777 Stenstrom Road, and Sunnyside, 2696 McFarland Road.

The state’s 4-year-old recreational marijuana laws allow for cannabis consumption lounges, but they’re only permitted if local governments establish rules to authorize it.

Lyfe, a locally owned dispensary, has expressed interest in operating a lounge on the east end of its building. It approached the city to ask about the potential to create an ordinance that would allow for it.

Opponents have argued that the lounges can lead to more instances of intoxicated driving. They also raised issue with potential harmful side effects to your health.

Proponents have said the lounges create a safe and legal environment for adults to consume cannabis away from minors. They also say it offers a regulated setting for education and social interaction.

The city’s proposed rules would have required lounges to be used by appointment only, and those appointments can last no more than two hours.

Groups would also be required to have a designated driver who will have cannabis products removed from their table at least 30 minutes before leaving.

The lounges would not have been permitted to operate past midnight, and they would not be allowed operate in conjunction with a bar.

How they voted

Against: Tim Durkee, R-1; Jonathan Logemann, D-2; Chad Tuneberg, R-3; Kevin Frost, R-4; Aprel Prunty, D-6; Karen Hoffman, D-8; Frank Beach, R-10; Isidro Barrios, D-11; Mark Bonne, D-14

For: Gabrielle Torina, D-5; Janessa Wilkins, D-7; Bill Rose, D-9; Gina Meeks, D-12; Jeff Bailey, D-13

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas