Controversial marijuana dispensary near Bartlett day care center falls short of approval in tie vote

A controversial marijuana dispensary proposed near a Bartlett day care center failed to win village approval Tuesday when a tie vote of the trustees fell short of the four required for approval.

With the majority of residents present opposed to the business, the meeting room exploded with applause.

“I couldn’t believe we did it!” said Donielle Burton, who lives near the Brewster Creek Shopping Center on Route 59 where the Star Buds dispensary and an adjoining bakery were proposed.

Village President Dan Gunsteen was denied a tiebreaking vote because the negative recommendation of the planning and zoning commission required a supermajority vote of the village board for approval.

During public comment, 16 residents criticized the dispensary chiefly for its proximity to the Brewster Creek KinderCare less than 250 feet away.

Three others spoke of the financial opportunity of the business and the easier access for Bartlett residents who use marijuana for medical reasons.

Trustees Stephanie Gandsey, Raymond Deyne and John Battermann had voiced their support for the dispensary ahead of Tuesday’s vote. It was unknown if there were enough votes to defeat the proposal.

Gandsey disputed criticism suggesting the board was putting profit over safety. She had assured herself there were no safety issues with the legal business and added the financial opportunity for the village to help keep residents’ own taxes lowered couldn’t be overlooked.

“I am disappointed,” she said afterward. “I’ve put a lot of thought into this. We see it in all surrounding communities. We’re one of the only communities in the area missing out on that revenue.”

And even the three trustees who voted against the special-use permit — Renee Suwanski, Joe LaPorte and Adam Hopkins — spoke of their responsibility to all 40,000 of the village’s residents to find ways of keeping taxes low. But for them, neighbors’ arguments about the location were persuasive.

“It wasn’t meant to be,” LaPorte said.

Hopkins believes a better place for a dispensary may be created through new construction in the village’s Lake Street redevelopment area.

But he too spoke in support of Bartlett getting a dispensary in the future, and hopes potential operators won’t interpret Tuesday’s vote as a sign of philosophical opposition.

With the rejection of the dispensary, the neighboring proposed bakery likely won’t come to fruition either.