Cannabis cultivation center seeks city approval, residents express concerns
From street level, it appears to just be another run-down building, a boarded-up husk of a former furniture store. But one company hopes to give the ramshackle location a major facelift, but the business that it plans to deal in isn’t exactly sitting well with all residents.
The former Azteca furniture store is slated to become a cannabis cultivation center and is well on its official path to approval. In May, the City Council voted 4-1 in favor of a measure which would re-zone the property for cannabis growth. The move will have major perks, according to Communications and Event Manager Chris Parman.
“Not only will the building look better, it will offer more jobs to the residents with good wages and benefits — increase our tax revenue to the city,” said Parman.
The city tax revenue from the business, projected at $150,000, is expected to go towards funding for emergency responders.
“[The tax revenue] either pays for a police officer or a firefighter and any time we can increase our public safety — that’s always a good thing for the residents,” continued Parma.
But some residents aren’t exactly wild about the idea, even with the city benefits laid out above.
“I think we could be finding better and healthier ways to raise money for more law enforcement and local support versus having a marijuana growth store in my neighborhood,” said resident Jen Hadjiyannis.
But other residents are excited about the prospects of more money for the city. “It doesn’t bother me – i think if the city is gonna benefit from it, it’s probably a positive thing,” said Cathedral City resident Katelyn Dickey.
The location is around the corner from Cathedral City high school — just half a mile away, which has some residents concerned. But city regulations allow for cannabis businesses to be anywhere more than 600 feet from schools.
City officials also stressed that this business is not a dispensary, but only a grow operation where people can’t purchase pot.
They do not retail sell,” said Parman. “There would be no reason for anyone to go by this particular building – it will be only for the employees that will be there that are growing.”
“I don’t think that anyone is gonna allow children to walk in there and purchase marijuana or be around it so I don’t think that’s gonna be an issue,” said Dickey.
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