Abstract
This Note will examine the motivations surrounding the adoption of zoning ordinances pertaining to the production and sale of marijuana through the lens of John Dewey’s theory of valuation. Applying Dewey’s theory to the zoning ordinances of a sampling of state and local governments, I will argue first that the choice of land uses to be regulated and restricted through local zoning ordinances is ultimately referable to values held by the community in which the ordinances are enacted. Second, I will argue that the decisions made on the state level carry more “value” as defined by Dewey’s theory and are, thus, entitled to greater weight if local zoning ordinances conflict with state law.
Keywords
marijuana law, zoning, ordinances, John Dewey, municipalities