By opening more of downtown Chicago to pot shops, the city hopes that more minority businesses owners can get in on the lucrative business of marijuana.

"Aldermen advanced Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposal Wednesday to ease Chicago zoning rules to open marijuana dispensaries," reports John Byrne.
The zoning changes would open a broader swath of downtown to marijuana businesses. Mayor Lightfoot is pushing the changes to "make it easier for minority applicants get into a lucrative business now dominated locally by white-owned companies," according to Byrnes.
The city's current zoning for marijuana businesses, first proposed in 2019, prohibits marijuana businesses in most of the city's downtown, stretching all the way to the River North neighborhood. The changes would shrink that prohibition to a small area of the city’s center, including Michigan Avenue in downtown, the South Loop, and the area approaching Navy Pier from Michigan Avenue.
"Dozens of license holders in a first round of state marijuana license approvals opted to open in the suburbs, because the zoning process is easier in surrounding towns than in Chicago," according to a city source cited by Byrnes. "[T]he hope is that allowing dispensaries to operate on more prime real estate will give minority cannabis license owners better opportunities to get their businesses up and running in Chicago."

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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