City council approves seven medical marijuana dispensary applications, rejects nine others | Local

The council made its decisions after about three hours of discussion and appeals for applications previously approved by the city’s Planning Commission.

Planned development overlays were approved 7-2 for both 1624 Discovery Circle and 2421 Elderberry Boulevard. Both were the only applications that were at least 500 feet from a public park, church, residential district, playground or childcare center, which is among the zoning requirements for medical marijuana dispensaries. Council members Bill Evans and Pat Jones opposed those applications.

Council member Greg Strommen abstained from the item, as well as 11 other applications for medical cannabis dispensaries. Mayor Steve Allender was absent from the meeting leaving Council President Lance Lehmann to preside.

A majority of council members voted to uphold the Planning Commission’s decisions on Puffy’s 2120 West Main Street locations for suites 1, 3, 4 and 5. The commission approved the applications with a stipulation that only one location could have the dispensary if the state pulled the application in its lottery. The state has a Dec. 31 deadline for potential dispensary owners to submit all necessary paperwork to be eligible for the license lottery.

The council also upheld, by a 7-3 vote, the commission’s approval with stipulations for Hive Collective at 918 East North Street.

The only unanimous vote was to grant an appeal that reverse the Planning Commission’s decision to give a conditional use permit for 605 Organic’s application at 2604 West Main Street. Council members and nearby residents expressed concerns about the location’s proximity to a bus stop.

Before voting on the permits, Council members Jason Salamun, John Roberts and Jones said they would vote the way the zoning dictated.

“To me, it’s just absolutely ridiculous,” to pick and choose where dispensaries go with a conditional use permit, Roberts said.

Evans said he planned to vote against all of the dispensary-related items since he believes the city should be the only licensed entity for a dispensary.

The council also unanimously approved the 2022 non-union COLA and wage scales, which the Legal and Finance Committee sent to the council meeting without recommendation. The item includes a 5% wage increase for non-union city employees as a cost-of-living adjustment. It will go into effect in January.