The first adult-use cannabis dispensary in Washington is one step closer to opening after gaining formal support from the city’s elected representatives.
The Washington City Council voted 5-3 on Monday in approving a special use request that will allow development of a Key Cannabis shop at 2691 Centennial Drive.
“I give the citizens of Washington more credit than to think that one business that provides legal and regulated products to customers over the age of 21 will tip the moral scales and turn this place into something that we don't all love and enjoy raising our families in,” said alderperson Michael Ernst during the 30-minute discussion on the item.
“There's already so much illegal marijuana in Washington, always has been,” added alderperson Bobby Miller III. “I think that there's an argument to be made that this would lower the amount of illegal marijuana in Washington, where at least this is regulated.”
Mike McIntyre, Todd Sluder and Brandon Moss cast the dissenting votes, saying they realize the business meets the requirements for approval but they can’t support the dispensary on principle.
“I do not judge anyone from a business perspective. There is money to be made here for the city. I just think that we have better opportunities to look at the fibers of what makes up Washington,” said McIntyre.
“My biggest concern is the exposure to young people, not that kids will walk in and buy marijuana, but the normalizing effect of a brick and mortar cannabis business in a visible location that many young people pass regularly,” added Moss. “We know recreational marijuana can be harmful to young people as their brains develop. For me, that concern tips the balance toward caution.”
The concept of a cannabis business has drawn vocal pushback from some community members during previous council meetings. However, Mary Lawless was the only resident to speak in opposition during Monday’s public comments.
“I am gaining nothing from this, absolutely nothing,” she said. “I just don't want young people that don't have enough courage or smarts to stay away from drugs – they're covering up whatever they're covering up, and I think it's a bad idea.”
But the council members who approved the business suggested there were misconceptions among the public.
“If we were to judge strictly by the number of emails that I have received, it would appear that the response of this town is an absolute ‘no’ on this,” said alderperson Paula Johnson. “But I've also gone out of my way to ask people that I run into in the community people at the grocery store, people who own businesses, and the responses that I've gotten from them have been quite a bit different from the responses that I've gotten via email.”
“I have more concerns about the four vape shops in this community than I do about this proposed dispensary,” added alderperson Jamie Smith. “cannabis has become legal in 2020 in Illinois. They have age restrictions, security, mandated product tracking, regulated hours, compliance inspections, and in this community you will only find one dispensary.”
Washington already has a 3% retail tax on cannabis products on its books that’s on top of the city’s 9% local sales tax. The council intends to consider future ordinances that would direct some of the tax revenue from the dispensary toward property tax relief for Washington residents, as well as street and sidewalk repairs.
“If we do this, I would like us to be in agreement of where those tax dollars go, and I think it should be half to go to lower the property tax levy, and half to go to sidewalks and community safety,” said Miller.
Zepln Enterprises LLC, doing business as Key Cannabis, intends to invest $2 million in the 2,800-sqare-foot Key Cannabis dispensary that will be built on a nearly one-acre vacant lot at the intersection of Centennial and McClugage Road, near the O’Reilly Auto Parts store. Key Cannabis is the retail arm of Kansas City-based Elevate Cannabis.
Restrictions on the Key Cannabis shop include daily operations limited to 10 a.m.-7 p.m., no outdoor seating areas, and no depictions of cannabis plants or the word “marijuana” on business signage. All patrons must be 21 or older.
“Looking at research, I couldn't come up with a compelling enough reason to say no to this, especially if I'm going to compare it, I'll just say simply, to bars,” said alderperson Jeff Blundy. “If you look at it, the evidence is probably going to tell you that alcohol is going to be doing more harm to the public than a dispensary would be.”
Washington’s city code allows for one each of the six types of adult-use cannabis businesses permitted in Illinois, including dispensaries. The city's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the special use for Key Cannabis at its April 1 meeting.
Mayor Lilija Stevens, who only would’ve cast a vote in case of a tie, said she supported approval of the special use permit.
“I was on the council when this door was opened. This is an adult-use facility,” said Stevens. “if the community is not in favor, then then they won't participate in going there.”
Constitution Street parking
The council also heard the first reading of an ordinance to restrict parking along Constitution Street near Cummings Lane.
City staff has received multiple complaints related to safety and traffic flow from vehicles parking on both sides of the roadway.
The council approved the ordinance unanimously on its first reading after voting to waive a second reading at the staff’s request, in order to expedite the placement of new signage.
“I know several of you have had residents or business owners reach out to you, as well as staff, so we just want to get this implemented,” said City Administrator Jeff Fiegenschuh.
The targeted restrictions would prohibit parking within 50 feet of the stop sign on the north side of Constitution, and within 100 feet on the south side. Drivers turning to and from North Cummings have faced restricted visibility and limited maneuvering space.
Miller was the only member voting against waiving the second reading.
Other actions
Among its other business, the council also approved a resolution committing its 20% local match totaling more than $83,000 to the eligible construction costs under Surface Transportation Block Grant [STBG] for mill and overlay work on North Main Street.
Planning and development director Jon Oliphant said the city faces a May 29 application deadline for the STBG funding.
“The requirement as part of that application is to show the city's local cost share commitment. So this resolution would formalize that and allow us to continue moving forward,” said Oliphant.
An amended second resolution aimed to extend a parking lot lease agreement with the Washington Historical Society. As originally presented, the agreement increases the city’s rent by $800 and would’ve automatically renewed each year unless one side opted to terminate the lease.
But Blundy moved for the amendments to have the automatic renewal eliminated, and to give the city a right of first refusal to purchase the lot should the Historical Society decide to sell. Those amendments require the Historical Society to agree to the new terms, so the council’s unanimous vote stands as a lease offer.
A third resolution saw unanimous approval of an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation contributing around $5,000 for modernization of the traffic signal at Cummings Lane and Washington Road.
