The city of Kirkwood has denied a request for extended hours from marijuana dispensary Proper Cannabis.

In a split vote at its meeting on July 3, officials voted against an amendment to the city ordinance governing hours of operation for cannabis dispensaries. City code currently allows cannabis dispensaries to operate from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. 

Proper Cannabis, 10855 Manchester Road, requested the council amend the city code to allow dispensaries to remain open as late as 10 p.m. daily. The  request was made, owners told the council last month, because neighboring communities have allowed their competitors to remain open later in the evening.

Kirkwood City Council Member Gina Jaksetic was not in favor of the change.

“I’m not inclined to think this is a needed change to our current code,” she said. “We have a pretty strong code, and we should keep the code the same.”

But Kirkwood City Council Member Nancy Luetzow voiced support for Proper Cannabis.

“It doesn’t appear to me that they are asking for anything other than to be able to compete better with competitors in other adjoining communities,” Luetzow said, noting Kirkwood’s Planning and Zoning Committee approved of the code change.

Ultimately, the mayor and council voted down the code change, although it did amend the special use permit for Proper Cannabis to allow for daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. operations, the maximum hours allowed by ordinance.