Carson City medical marijuana grow site approved

A medical marijuana cultivation facility at 3535 Arrowhead Dr. was approved for a special use permit 4-2 by Carson City’s Planning Commission Wednesday.

The applicant, Tahoe Hydroponics Co., will locate in part of the existing building at that address. The structure in a general industrial zoning district is owned by Arrowhead Partners, LLC, and the commission’s action basically transferred location of the proposed site for which the applicant company had previously chosen, secured approval for and subsequently withdrew. The firm withdrew from a site on Old Hot Springs Road.

The special use permit must be followed up by a similar switch of site at the state level, according to Community Development Director Lee Plemel.

Voting in opposition were Commissioners Dan Salerno and Walt Owens. Salerno, who asked several questions about facility security, cited the fact federal law still branded marijuana a prohibited drug, that he has seen pot problems in the past and he’s concerned about an additional load on the city Sheriff’s Office. Owens said the applicant must meet a high standard of due diligence and hadn’t achieved the threshold sufficiently.

There was one letter of opposition submitted from among the 31 nearby property owners contacted by planning, according to Plemel, but no one appeared at the commission meeting to testify against the application. The letter was from Greg DeLarge to the city planning department. It cited impact on property values and raised the spectre of security concerns.

In other action, the commission voted 6-0 to recommend a street abandonment be authorized by the city’s Board of Supervisors to clear a path for a food court development. The street involved is East Sophia Street between North Carson and Plaza streets. Victor Honein of the Arco gasoline station and market on the southeast corner of Carson and William streets talked about the food court, but that application would come later.

Property owners involved in the right-of-way abandonment and possible development are Mapp Enterprises, Inc., B P Hotel LLC and M & M Bigue Investments LLC. The businesses along Sophia include Honein’s Arco, the Hardman House Hotel, 917 N. Carson St., Capitol Automotive and Box Store, according to Honein. The latter two firms are at 1000 and 1012 N. Plaza St.

Jean Perpich, a Wells Fargo business specialist, testified in support of the abandonment and food court idea. She said it would be a fine addition for the downtown business corridor.