Crested Butte council to ask county for MMJ grow support

Riverland seems appropriate to grow marijuana

The Crested Butte Town Council will be sending the Gunnison County Commissioners a letter asking them to allow the growing of medical marijuana in “appropriate areas” near Crested Butte that come under county jurisdiction. The Riverland Industrial Park was mentioned as one such place.

Under new Colorado regulations governing medical marijuana dispensaries, the dispensary must grow at least 70 percent of the product sold in a dispensary.
Mayor Leah Williams initiated discussion of the issue at the Monday night council meeting by saying she felt the town had no space to allow for a grow operation. “With our limited commercial space, allowing growing doesn’t make sense to me,” she said.
“I disagree completely,” countered councilperson Jim Schmidt. “I still have bad images of [the marijuana] coming from Mexico and the bad guys, so I think we ought to allow it.”
“I’d like to pursue vigorously the potential for it to be grown just outside of town,” said councilperson Phoebe Wilson. She also suggested a “field trip” to a Salida grow operation so the council can look at what is being discussed.
Town building and zoning director Bob Gillie said the town staff, including the marshals, felt the grow operations component of the medical marijuana issue was the hardest nut to crack. “It seemed to us harder to deal with from a neighborhood standpoint,” he said. “There was the higher potential for a break-in, the fumes, the energy needed for such an operation.”
“We’ve already started down the road,” said councilperson Roland Mason. “Since we’re here, locally grown is the way to go.”
Councilperson Dan Escalante suggested the council write the county commissioners to ask them to okay grow operations in areas “that are appropriate.”
Williams suggested the council members contact the commissioners individually and the council could evaluate the situation in August. Councilperson Reed Betz felt a stronger message would be sent with a letter from the council.
The council agreed to have town attorney John Belkin compose a short letter to the commissioners that will be signed by Williams.