Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Uniontown's zoning hearing board will hear a request on Thursday from a medical cannabis company for a special exception to operate a state-licensed dispensary where Woodlands World was once located.
Maitri Medicinals LLC, which in June was allotted a permit by the state Department of Health to operate a dispensary for medical marijuana in downtown Uniontown, will request zoning approval for the currently vacant building at 27 W. Main St. with hopes of opening business in three to six months.
Founded in 2016 by Chief Executive Officer Corinne Ogrodnik and Chief Financial Officer Joe Vesley, Maitri Medicinals was one of five southwestern Pennsylvania applicants among 27 across the state chosen by the Department of Health to operate a medical cannabis dispensary.
Vesley, who grew up in Fayette City, said he and Ogrodnik targeted downtown Uniontown to be the site of the company's first dispensary because of its central location in Fayette County and close access to major thoroughfares like Routes 43, 51 and 119.
"Patient accessibility is huge," Ogrodnik said.
The public hearing for Maitri Medicinals' requested special exception will be held Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Uniontown City Hall's council chambers at 20 N. Gallatin Ave.
Ogrodnik said that Maitri Medicinals in February purchased both 27 W. Main St., the site of Woodlands World until the outdoor store closed in 2015, and a grassy plot of land on West Main Street on the other side of Ptak's from Commercial Center Associates, 84 Lumber founder Joe Hardy's real estate company.
Both sites are located in a "C-2" central business zoning district.
Ogrodnik and Vesley intend to convert the approximately 7,400-square-foot grassy development lot at 15 W. Main St. into a parking lot that they want to be the site of community events during warmer months of the year.
"(We want to be) an active member of business and residential community," Ogrodnik said, adding that the dispensary would have approximately 10 to 12 employees.
The dispensary would be similar to a retail pharmacy like Rite-Aid, Ogrodnik said, adding that the difference is that onsite medical professionals will be present.
"There's no exciting way to describe it other than a general retail experience," Ogrodnik said.
Ogrodnik explained that, per the Department of Health's Medical Marijuana Program guidelines, residents must apply to the department for a medical marijuana identification card upon a doctor recommendation, and that an intake coordinator will be onsite at the Uniontown dispensary to check patrons' cards. Parents or guardians approved and registered as caregivers will be permitted dispensary access as well, Ogrodnik said.
Maitri Medicinals' application for a permit to operate a grower/processor facility in Rostraver Township was turned down by the Department of Health earlier this year, but the company did get zoning approval to operate there in January, which Ogrodnik said was a "useful" experience.
"We're hoping that is a good bellwether," Ogrodnik said, looking ahead to Thursday's city zoning hearing and adding that if her company isn't granted the special exception for 27 W. Main St., it will look to locate the dispensary elsewhere in Uniontown.
Ogrodnik also said that Maitri Medicinals is looking to establish two more dispensaries for now, one in Pittsburgh and another south of Pittsburgh.
As regulated under Act 16 of 2016, medical marijuana or cannabis can be prescribed to patients statewide if they have a terminal illness or if they suffer from cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, autism, inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder or other conditions.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Uniontown Zoning Hearing Board to hear medical cannabis dispensary request | New Today | heraldstandard.com
Author: Mike Tony
Contact: Contact Us | heraldstandard.com
Photo Credit: FREDERIC J BROWN
Website: heraldstandard.com | Your Online Local News Source
Maitri Medicinals LLC, which in June was allotted a permit by the state Department of Health to operate a dispensary for medical marijuana in downtown Uniontown, will request zoning approval for the currently vacant building at 27 W. Main St. with hopes of opening business in three to six months.
Founded in 2016 by Chief Executive Officer Corinne Ogrodnik and Chief Financial Officer Joe Vesley, Maitri Medicinals was one of five southwestern Pennsylvania applicants among 27 across the state chosen by the Department of Health to operate a medical cannabis dispensary.
Vesley, who grew up in Fayette City, said he and Ogrodnik targeted downtown Uniontown to be the site of the company's first dispensary because of its central location in Fayette County and close access to major thoroughfares like Routes 43, 51 and 119.
"Patient accessibility is huge," Ogrodnik said.
The public hearing for Maitri Medicinals' requested special exception will be held Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Uniontown City Hall's council chambers at 20 N. Gallatin Ave.
Ogrodnik said that Maitri Medicinals in February purchased both 27 W. Main St., the site of Woodlands World until the outdoor store closed in 2015, and a grassy plot of land on West Main Street on the other side of Ptak's from Commercial Center Associates, 84 Lumber founder Joe Hardy's real estate company.
Both sites are located in a "C-2" central business zoning district.
Ogrodnik and Vesley intend to convert the approximately 7,400-square-foot grassy development lot at 15 W. Main St. into a parking lot that they want to be the site of community events during warmer months of the year.
"(We want to be) an active member of business and residential community," Ogrodnik said, adding that the dispensary would have approximately 10 to 12 employees.
The dispensary would be similar to a retail pharmacy like Rite-Aid, Ogrodnik said, adding that the difference is that onsite medical professionals will be present.
"There's no exciting way to describe it other than a general retail experience," Ogrodnik said.
Ogrodnik explained that, per the Department of Health's Medical Marijuana Program guidelines, residents must apply to the department for a medical marijuana identification card upon a doctor recommendation, and that an intake coordinator will be onsite at the Uniontown dispensary to check patrons' cards. Parents or guardians approved and registered as caregivers will be permitted dispensary access as well, Ogrodnik said.
Maitri Medicinals' application for a permit to operate a grower/processor facility in Rostraver Township was turned down by the Department of Health earlier this year, but the company did get zoning approval to operate there in January, which Ogrodnik said was a "useful" experience.
"We're hoping that is a good bellwether," Ogrodnik said, looking ahead to Thursday's city zoning hearing and adding that if her company isn't granted the special exception for 27 W. Main St., it will look to locate the dispensary elsewhere in Uniontown.
Ogrodnik also said that Maitri Medicinals is looking to establish two more dispensaries for now, one in Pittsburgh and another south of Pittsburgh.
As regulated under Act 16 of 2016, medical marijuana or cannabis can be prescribed to patients statewide if they have a terminal illness or if they suffer from cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, autism, inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder or other conditions.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Uniontown Zoning Hearing Board to hear medical cannabis dispensary request | New Today | heraldstandard.com
Author: Mike Tony
Contact: Contact Us | heraldstandard.com
Photo Credit: FREDERIC J BROWN
Website: heraldstandard.com | Your Online Local News Source
