Schaumburg may permit craft marijuana grower in industrial park
Schaumburg trustees Tuesday will consider approval of what would be the village's third recreational marijuana business, a craft grower that, unlike two recently approved dispensaries, would not be open to the public.
Castle Cannabis is seeking a special-use permit from the village to occupy 17,100 square feet in a multitenant industrial building at 2246 Palmer Drive.
The proposed business received the unanimous recommendation of the village's zoning board of appeals earlier this month, with some members expressing satisfaction that it's not in a highly visible retail area like the recreational marijuana dispensaries.
"It's not on Golf Road, so that makes me happy," zoning board member Patrick Riley said.
Fellow member James Dolbeare agreed it was an appropriate location for such a business.
Castle Cannabis Co-Presidents Sam Ross and Alex Christenson said the business would employ 10 to 12 people. It also will hire a private security firm to provide personnel during all hours of operation and maintain surveillance cameras inside and out.
As per village code, the business would be more than 1,000 feet from schools, day care centers and houses of worship as well as other marijuana cultivation centers.
The interior would be divided between 1,400 square feet of office space and 15,700 square feet of factory and agricultural space.
Vehicles taking the products for distribution elsewhere would be loaded and unloaded entirely within the building, and steel bollards are to be installed in front to prevent its being struck by vehicles.
Schaumburg allows up to five recreational marijuana dispensaries and already has two, while Castle Cannabis would be the first of the five cultivation centers allowed.
Village code also permits another type of marijuana business - quality-control testing labs in industrial areas. Unitech Laboratories has expressed interest in locating a testing facility in Schaumburg, but hasn't yet submitted a proposal, officials said.