The historic Apple Shed along Colorado 115 in Penrose will be converted to a medical marijuana cultivation facility and infused products manufacturing facility by next fall. (Photo Courtesy Canon City Daily Record)
The Fremont County Board of Commissioners met in a brief special session on Tuesday, April 2nd, and unanimously approved action to permit a medical marijuana manufacturing facility in the historic Apple Shed in Penrose. The Commissioners had tabled action on a Special Review Use Permit (SRU) and two medical marijuana licenses following a March 10th public hearing.
In making the motion to approve the SRU and county medical marijuana (MMJ) licenses for Thressor, LLC, District One Commissioner Tim Payne said he put a lot of consideration into this matter and that Chris Haight’s application stands on its own merits. Payne said that if in a year there have been broken promises, he will take another look at this application. The two MMJ licenses include one for Optional Premise Cultivation and for Marijuana Infused Products. Haight said at the March 10th hearing that he wants to grow specific strains of marijuana to produce hash oil for medical purposes. Haight plans to sell wholesale only and will not sell any retail products from the Apple Shed location.
District 2 Commissioner Debbie Bell said this is one of the hardest decisions she has had to make since being a County Commissioner. Bell said she believes this particular operation is exactly the kind of operation that most voters thought they were approving when medical marijuana was approved in 2000. Bell noted that after visiting the Apple Shed site she believes Haight will have a safe operation that will pose no threat to the neighborhood.
Among the findings and restrictions called out in the Commissioners’ resolution of approval, Haight will not be able to access his property from the rear off of Grant Street, must have odor control equipment installed, must not display any marijuana signage, and the Commissioners made it clear that approval came with the understanding that no marijuana edible products would be produced on site.
Commission Chairman Ed Norden said Haight’s application was one of the better medical marijuana applications the board received. Norden said approval of this SRU comes with an elevated responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate that he will be a good neighbor to the citizens of Penrose.