The Planning Commission for the City of Lowell met for nearly an hour and a half on Monday night for its April meeting. All commissioners were present for the meeting which had two public hearings on the agenda: one on the city’s marijuana ordinance and the other on a gravel mining operation slated for property off Bowes Road.
Marijuana Ordinance Amendment Goes to City Council
First up was an amendment to the city’s zoning ordinance which would prohibit marijuana establishments east of the Flat River. This same amendment was sent to the City Council last year, but councilmembers declined to take it up after they learned someone was already in the process of applying for a marijuana business license for the former RollAway property in the 800 block of E. Main Street.
That application was denied by the planning commission based on an inability to screen the property from neighbors, among other reasons. With the building back up for sale, Lowell City Council agreed that now might be the right time to take a second look at the ordinance.
After the public hearing was opened, Moline resident Ted Foote said he was interested in buying the RollAway property for a marijuana grow and distribution operation. He also suggested that he would be willing to give the mini-golf portion of the property to the city so it could create a park there.
Foote’s real estate agent, a Lowell resident who lives in the Highland Hill neighborhood, also spoke during the meeting. He noted that Foote wasn’t opposed to looking for a property on the west side of town, but he didn’t believe many properties were available there. Only a part of the RollAway building would be needed for Foote’s enterprise and the rest of the building could be rented to another business.
“My take on it is that it’s still surrounded by residential properties,” said Planning Commission Chair Bruce Barker. “It’s close to residential properties no matter what type of facility it is.”
Barker noted the planning commission has approved 11 special land use permits for marijuana businesses so far, demonstrating the commission’s willingness to approve these permits. However, while trees, fencing or other barriers could be erected between businesses on the west side of town and neighboring residences, that is not possible at the RollAway property given the layout of the lot.
Other commissioners agreed with Barker and noted that it was always the intent that marijuana businesses be located on the west side of town which is the main commercial district. At the time the ordinance was drafted, the Lowell Methodist Church ran a preschool which meant that no marijuana businesses could be located within 1,000 feet and effectively prohibited the establishments east of the Flat River. However, that school has since closed.
City Manager Mike Burns noted the city council had expressed an interest in seeing whether anything else in the ordinance may need to be updated as well. He said one suggestion he heard was the possibility of prohibiting grow facilities in strip malls since there had been some odor issues with the microbusiness in the Lowell City Mall. That suggestion was originally floated by Commissioner Amanda Schrauben at an earlier meeting, but it did not seem to generate any interest from other commissioners.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend Lowell City Council amend the zoning ordinance to prohibit marijuana businesses east of the Flat River. The matter will now go to the council for further consideration.
Mining Operation Receives Second Approval
Next was a public hearing for a gravel mining operation to be conducted by Grand Rapids Gravel on property south of Bowes Road at the west end of town. The company originally received approval in December 2020 but since a year has passed and mining has not yet begun, a new application was required prior to the start of work.
The new application was largely the same as what was approved in 2020 with the exception of plans to now maintain – rather than demolish — two houses on the property. One is currently rented while the other will be used to house a worker from Grand Rapids Gravel. There was also discussion about how a connector trail for the Lowell Area Trailway will run through the property and whether its location will need to be adjusted.
A resident of Bowes Road was present and asked about lighting and the entrance to the operation. He was shown a map with the entrance which will be at the west end of the property. All traffic will turn left out of the site and proceed to the Main Street intersection to avoid having trucks drive in front of residences. A company representative noted that no lighting was planned.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve Grand Rapids Gravel’s reapplication.
The meeting adjourned at 8:22pm, and the next regular meeting of the Lowell Planning Commission will be Monday, May 9, at 7pm.
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