Even as cities like Venice vote to ban medical marijuana dispensaries entirely, North Port appears set to welcome the businesses in with open arms. Earlier this week, the City Commission unanimously approved its latest ordinance permitting the businesses. The city thought it had passed everything necessary back in April, only for state legislators to change rules that required local governments to treat dispensaries as they would pharmacies. The council will now take up the ordinance for final approval on Oct. 10. Kevin Rouse, a member of the city planning and zoning advisory board and city commission candidate for the 2018 election, praised the board for being proactive. He told the Herald-Tribune the city is setting “a standard for all surrounding areas and let them follow us.”