The Lowell Planning Commission met for more than hour on Monday night for their August meeting. Only one item was on the agenda: an application for a marijuana establishment to be located at 126 S. West Street. Commissioners Colin Plank and Michael Gadula were absent for meeting which took place in City Hall.
The application for 126 S. West Street was originally considered during the July Planning Commission meeting. At that time, commissioners had concerns about the limited parking on site and asked the applicant to work with other local businesses to secure overflow parking spots.
On Monday, James McGillie of Covert Law Firm spoke on behalf of the project, and he explained that the business applicant, BTD Holdings Inc., had negotiated a three-year lease with the property owner to the south for 18 additional parking spots. The lot being leased is paved and has been used for parking in the past.
Three Comments from Residents During Public Hearing
During Monday’s public hearing on the project, three residents spoke in opposition to the application.
“I just want to know why you’re putting one of these on a residential street when everything else is out on Main Street,” said Greg McClure who lives on S. West Street.
Planning Commission Chair Bruce Barker explained that the property was zoned for the use. “We have to look at it from that standpoint,” he said. “They have a right to do it.”
At previous meetings, planning commissioners have stated that they do not feel they have any discretion to deny applications and that they are required to approve any marijuana business that meets the provisions of the city ordinance.
Another West Street resident, Cassie Postema, shared a concern about customers cutting through the neighborhood and noted many families living on the street had young children. “You can’t guarantee they’re not smoking their pot when they’re leaving your shop, and now they’re going to be flying down the road,” she said. “What are you going to do when one of them hits one of our kids?” Postema asked for speed bumps or something similar to be installed to prevent speeding.
In response to her comments, there was some discussion among commissioners about installing a sign to encourage people to turn left toward Main Street instead of right, which would take drivers past homes.
Mike DeVore spoke in opposition to the business location and said it was unlikely anyone going west or south out of town would choose to exit via Main Street. “It’s a nightmare to turn left on Main Street from West Street most times of the day,” he said. DeVore added Bowes and West Streets have enough traffic as it is.
“I’ve been a huge proponent of marijuana retail stores…but I think it’s an awful location.” DeVore is the mayor of Lowell but said after the meeting that he was there speaking in a personal capacity.
Brad Klosner, an agent of BTD Holdings, noted that West Street is a public road and said people will be using it regardless of whether a marijuana establishment is located on the street. He added that the building was constructed on a vacant lot and is an improvement for the city. The lot also meets all the city’s requirements for a marijuana establishment.
Brian Klosner, another person involved in BTD Holdings, said he has not seen anyone “ripping out” of any marijuana establishment in town. He also hasn’t witnessed anyone consuming products on the property of a marijuana establishment.
Application Approved with Conditions
Barker suggested setting up a camera in the business parking lot to monitor traffic. He also added there is no indication that people are driving through town under the influence of marijuana.
Commissioner Marty Chambers asked if Barker was talking about placing a camera at the back of the lot, and the chair replied that was what he had in mind. No other commissioners commented on the suggestion. Barker then made a motion to accept the first set of marijuana business standards. That motion passed unanimously.
For the next set of business standards, Barker noted a section of the fence on the west end of the property is missing. Completing the fence, striping the parking lot, adding signage to direct traffic to the left and installing a camera to monitor the parking lot were made conditions of final approval for the application.
Barker made the motion to approve the special land use application, and it was approved unanimously.
The next regular meeting of the Lowell Planning Commission will take place on Monday, September 13, 2021.
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