The competition is expanding among applicants vying to open the only medical-marijuana dispensary that will be allowed in Fountain Hills.
So far, Bob Rodgers, the town's senior planner, has approved five zoning-verification applications for medical-marijuana facilities in the town.
The applicants are:
Restaurateur Josh Levine, for a dispensary on a vacant lot at 16935 E. Colony Drive.
Yvonne Wolf, co-owner of Wolf Brothers Construction Co., for a dispensary on a lot at 12008 N. Colony Drive.
The Healing Co., for a dispensary at 17007 E. Colony Drive, Suite 3.
Vladimir Buer of Buer Revocable Trust, for a dispensary at 16913 E. Enterprise Drive, units 103, 201 and 202.
Douglas Shaughnessy, for a dispensary at 16939 E. Colony Drive, Unit 2.
The deadline for submitting license applications to the Arizona Department of Health Services is 5 p.m. May 25.
Rodgers expects the number of applicants to be "fast and furious for the next week and a half."
"Everybody who has zoning verification will have their names thrown into a hat and one will get picked (for the state license)," he said.
The Department of Health Services will be awarding more than 100 dispensary licenses statewide.
So far, no applications have been received for facilities in Fountain Hills and no licenses will be awarded until August, according to the department.
The number of zoning verifications has increased since North Chapel Community Bible Church relocated from an office building at 16929 E. Enterprise Drive.
Numerous applications previously had been rejected, mostly because they were too close to the church.
The Healing Co., Buer and Shaughnessy applications were approved after the church relocation.
Shaughnessy's application was approved this week.
"There's been about a dozen so far that have requested zoning verification," Rodgers said.
A spokesman for the Healing Co., couldn't be reached for comment.
According to the Healing Co.'s website, it will "immediately establish itself as the model for all caregivers in the state."
The site also said the Healing Co. has "systems and procedures in place to ensure that all members are screened, verified and monitored in accordance with all applicable laws concerning the dispensing of medical marijuana."
Buer and Shaughnessy also couldn't be reached for comment.
The applicant who receives the license for Fountain Hills will have to return to the town for a business license, Rogers said.
They will then need renovation and construction permits, he added.
Finally, the applicant then will have to meet the construction guidelines outlined in the town's medical-marijuana ordinance, Rogers said.
by Edward Gately - May. 21, 2012 08:03 AM The Republic | azcentral.com
Applicants battle for Fountain Hills pot permit
