By Mark Cowling | Florence Reminder
Most comments at a public hearing on a proposed medical marijuana dispensary are fairly standard. Some people warn of the dangers of drugs or the potential for abuse. Others counter that it’s medicine for sick people and can be sold inconspicuously, safely and responsibly.
But one person’s testimony at last week’s town council meeting was completely unexpected.
Rakesh “Rocky” Pahwa, up for his fourth try for a conditional use permit to open a dispensary in Florence, asked the council to deny it. He explained his nonprofit company, Healing Healthcare, has the dispensary license for the Florence
community health analysis area but is not on the application for the town’s permit.
Pahwa was in partnership with the medical marijuana company Ultra Health of North Scottsdale, which was the applicant.
Duke Rodriguez, principal officer of Ultra Health, seemed surprised at Pahwa’s comment and said “I’m not sure what Rocky is talking about.” He told the council the application meets the town’s criteria, and it had won approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission last month. Rodriguez asked the council to approve it.
A majority of council members disagreed and voted 5-2 to deny it. Tom Celaya and Bill Hawkins voted “yes.”
Celaya said it was a zoning issue, not a “personal feelings” issue.
Mayor Tom Rankin agreed it was about zoning, but said it also was about each council member’s opinion of “what’s best for the future of the town of Florence.” As for whether the application complied with town code, “I believe it does,” Rankin said.
The partners had planned to buy the River Bottom Grill at 2501 N. Pinal Parkway and remodel the building for the dispensary.
Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles, who attended Monday’s meeting, said after the vote, “A vote against a dispensary represents a vote in favor of the future of any town. The town council’s vote against a plan to turn the River Bottom restaurant into a marijuana dispensary represents a true win for the residents of Florence.”
Rankin asked citizens to limit their comments to the “CUP process” and the suitability of the location. As for other issues such as the state medical marijuana law and its apparent conflict with federal law, “we’re not here to debate those things,” Rankin said.
He cautioned speakers to only comment on the permit and stopped one speaker who persisted in talking about marijuana’s dangers. Scott Bowles said marijuana is still a Schedule 1 drug per federal law, and the American Cancer Society opposes legalized marijuana for smoking, before Rankin cut him off.
“You’re done,” Rankin said.
Amy Fuller, superintendent of the Florence Unified School District, began talking about how Colorado’s marijuana tax revenues were going to youth drug use prevention, substance abuse and public health uses, before Rankin asked her to speak to the zoning issue only.
Fuller then asked the council to consider the location and the impression on people coming into town.
Linda Gay agreed, “That’s the first thing they’re going to see. … the first thing they connect to the town of Florence.”
But Denise Kollert reminded the council of the dispensary’s security measures, including access only by medical marijuana cardholders. “He (Pahwa) has jumped through all your hoops,” she said. “My opinion is you don’t have the legal ground to turn him down.”
Related: Marijuana finds unlikely new allies: conservatives
If you’d like to discuss marijuana issues, contact Ryan Hurley, director of the Rose Law Group Medical Marijuana Dept. rhurley@roselawgroup.com
