Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
The Prince George's County Council on Tuesday passed legislation that could clear the way for a medical marijuana dispensary to set up shop in the office building at 4201 Northview Drive, across Route 197 from the Bowie Town Center.
The bill reduced the buffer distance required between a medical marijuana facility's property line that of certain residential zones from 500 feet to 300 feet.
The residential zone buffer was a sticking point for The SENTEL Group, which has a state license to operate a medical marijuana dispensary in Prince George's County and has its sights set on the Northview Drive site.
County Council member Todd Turner, who lives in Bowie and represents District 4, which includes the city, opposed the bill, which passed on a 5-3 vote.
"One of the concerns I've had with this particular piece of legislation was what the factual basis was for us reducing the amount of distance between this use and other uses," Turner said. "I have not heard enough information for me ... to be able to support this legislation.
Because the medical marijuana industry in Maryland is in its formative stages, Turner said, it's difficult to ascertain what is a reasonable allowable distance between a dispensary and other kinds of land uses.
"This is new to the state of Maryland," he said. "It's not new to the country; it's not new to (other) states. Maybe we can look to those states ... to figure out how we can move forward in Maryland."
The General Assembly approved the creation of a medical marijuana program for Maryland in 2014. Twenty-seven other states already permit facilities for dispensing medical marijuana.
Initially, the bill would have reduced the allowable distance from 500 feet to 300 feet between a dispensary's property line and the property line of certain residential zones, as well as day care centers, school land, recreational programs and before- and after-school care facilities.
But strong public opposition during the council meeting — more than a dozen people spoke during the public hearing — convinced lawmakers to amend the bill. By reducing the size of the buffer required next to residential zones, the council gave dispensary licensees more leeway as they try to locate their businesses while also preserving the 500-foot buffer where school land was concerned.
Bridget Spruill, president of the SENTEL Group, described herself as "very pleased" with the decision.
"We understand that proximity to schools was always a sensitive issue and we were respectful of that," she said. The only thing we really requested was that residential piece" in the legislation.
The Bowie City Council opposed the legislation by a 5-1 vote, sending a letter to county lawmakers making its preference known following last week's meeting.
"Obviously, I'm disappointed with the County Council's actions," said Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson, who has strongly opposed locating the dispensary across from Bowie Town Center. "We recognize that the state has approved this and we can't stop them. But we would have hoped that the council would say that there are some places where these shouldn't go and this is one of them."
Robinson expressed concern that other businesses in the One Town Center building or even just those nearby might be reluctant to be so close to the facility.
Spruill described the other tenants in the building and the landlord as "supportive" of her plans to locate the dispensary there.
Barring any additional hurdles, Spruill said, she expects to have the dispensary open for business in early February.
"Now that we can fully occupy the space, we begin the build-out process, we begin the hiring and training process, we even begin the education process where we reach out to doctors and tell them what we're about and what we're here to do," she said. "It's a process that will take a few months. It's not going to happen overnight."
About 100 prospective dispensaries have received preliminary licenses and have until December to get set up, pass employee background checks and undergo final inspections. Spruill said she was confident the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission would grant her company — and others — extensions on that deadline because many licensees have encountered difficulties in finding a location for the dispensaries.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Prince George's County Council clears way for medical marijuana dispensary in Bowie - Bowie Blade-News
Author: John McNamara
Contact: Contact Us - Capital Gazette
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: Home - Capital Gazette
The bill reduced the buffer distance required between a medical marijuana facility's property line that of certain residential zones from 500 feet to 300 feet.
The residential zone buffer was a sticking point for The SENTEL Group, which has a state license to operate a medical marijuana dispensary in Prince George's County and has its sights set on the Northview Drive site.
County Council member Todd Turner, who lives in Bowie and represents District 4, which includes the city, opposed the bill, which passed on a 5-3 vote.
"One of the concerns I've had with this particular piece of legislation was what the factual basis was for us reducing the amount of distance between this use and other uses," Turner said. "I have not heard enough information for me ... to be able to support this legislation.
Because the medical marijuana industry in Maryland is in its formative stages, Turner said, it's difficult to ascertain what is a reasonable allowable distance between a dispensary and other kinds of land uses.
"This is new to the state of Maryland," he said. "It's not new to the country; it's not new to (other) states. Maybe we can look to those states ... to figure out how we can move forward in Maryland."
The General Assembly approved the creation of a medical marijuana program for Maryland in 2014. Twenty-seven other states already permit facilities for dispensing medical marijuana.
Initially, the bill would have reduced the allowable distance from 500 feet to 300 feet between a dispensary's property line and the property line of certain residential zones, as well as day care centers, school land, recreational programs and before- and after-school care facilities.
But strong public opposition during the council meeting — more than a dozen people spoke during the public hearing — convinced lawmakers to amend the bill. By reducing the size of the buffer required next to residential zones, the council gave dispensary licensees more leeway as they try to locate their businesses while also preserving the 500-foot buffer where school land was concerned.
Bridget Spruill, president of the SENTEL Group, described herself as "very pleased" with the decision.
"We understand that proximity to schools was always a sensitive issue and we were respectful of that," she said. The only thing we really requested was that residential piece" in the legislation.
The Bowie City Council opposed the legislation by a 5-1 vote, sending a letter to county lawmakers making its preference known following last week's meeting.
"Obviously, I'm disappointed with the County Council's actions," said Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson, who has strongly opposed locating the dispensary across from Bowie Town Center. "We recognize that the state has approved this and we can't stop them. But we would have hoped that the council would say that there are some places where these shouldn't go and this is one of them."
Robinson expressed concern that other businesses in the One Town Center building or even just those nearby might be reluctant to be so close to the facility.
Spruill described the other tenants in the building and the landlord as "supportive" of her plans to locate the dispensary there.
Barring any additional hurdles, Spruill said, she expects to have the dispensary open for business in early February.
"Now that we can fully occupy the space, we begin the build-out process, we begin the hiring and training process, we even begin the education process where we reach out to doctors and tell them what we're about and what we're here to do," she said. "It's a process that will take a few months. It's not going to happen overnight."
About 100 prospective dispensaries have received preliminary licenses and have until December to get set up, pass employee background checks and undergo final inspections. Spruill said she was confident the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission would grant her company — and others — extensions on that deadline because many licensees have encountered difficulties in finding a location for the dispensaries.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Prince George's County Council clears way for medical marijuana dispensary in Bowie - Bowie Blade-News
Author: John McNamara
Contact: Contact Us - Capital Gazette
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: Home - Capital Gazette
