Palatine zoning board OKs medical pot facility
A second proposal to build a medical marijuana dispensary in Palatine received a recommendation from the Palatine Zoning Board of Appeals after a lengthy debate Tuesday evening.
The 5-3 vote means that when the proposal goes before the village council in November it will have the zoning board's approval.
The petitioner, Nature's Care, proposed to convert the old Pico Tile building at 310 W. Colifax Road into a facility that would sell medical marijuana to patients signed up under the state pilot program.
Maura Meyers, CEO of Nature's Care, gave a 30-minute presentation of her company's business plan and credentials.
She said they would run a professional operation that wouldn't harm the property values of the surrounding community.
"(Our employees) will wear lab coats, they are not going to have piercings and dreadlocks," Meyers said.
The discussion on the issue lasted for more than three hours.
Four members of the public spoke out against it.
Debra Vardakis, who lives near where the dispensary would be built, said she would move out of the neighborhood if the dispensary moved in.
"Right now I feel safe walking my grandchildren on the streets. I won't feel safe if the dispensary moves in," Vardakis said.
Village staff told the zoning board that they recommended to deny Nature's Care proposal.
Ben Vyverburg, village director of planning and zoning, said the opinion was based on the proposed dispensary's proximity to downtown Palatine as well as nearby residential area.
"There are multifamily properties one hundred and eighty-eight feet directly to the east," Vyverburg said.
The plan will go before the village council in November.
Last month the council voted down a competing proposal from a different petitioner to build a medical marijuana dispensary in the village, citing its proximity to residential homes among other concerns.
No matter what the council decides in November, the plan will still need approval from the state to acquire one of the 60 dispensary licenses.