Under 410 ILCS 705/55-25, Lake County municipalities may regulate or prohibit dispensaries. Waukegan and Gurnee permit dispensaries with conditional use approval and 250-1,500 ft school buffers. Highland Park allows limited dispensaries; Lake Forest and Libertyville have opted to restrict recreational sales.
The Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (410 ILCS 705/55-25) grants municipalities authority to regulate the time, place, manner, and number of cannabis dispensaries, or to prohibit them entirely. Lake County municipal stances vary: Waukegan permits dispensaries with a special use permit in commercial districts, with 250-ft school/daycare buffer zones. Gurnee allows dispensaries in commercial zones along Grand Avenue with conditional use approval. Highland Park permits dispensaries in limited commercial districts with enhanced buffer requirements and council approval. Lake Forest has opted out of adult-use cannabis sales within city limits. Libertyville similarly restricted adult-use retail. Unincorporated Lake County defers to the UDO's commercial zoning rules. Licensed dispensaries must meet Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) security, signage, and operational standards: video surveillance, alarm systems, controlled entry, no products visible from exterior, state-mandated warning labels, and tracking through the Biotrack seed-to-sale system. Municipalities may impose a 3% cannabis retail tax under 410 ILCS 705/8-15 in addition to state excise tax.
Operating without license: Class 4 felony and facility closure. Selling to minors: Class 4 felony, license revocation, and $5,000+ fines. Buffer or zoning violations: special use revocation and up to $10,000 fines. Signage violations: $500-$2,500 per occurrence.
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