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Aurora's ad hoc Amendment 64 committee heard policymaking suggestions Sept. 17 from a realtor representing Unique Properties Inc., which was recommended through a lobbying group that advocates for retail marijuana stores.
During his presentation, Gannon Roth, a broker associate and realtor with Unique Properties Inc., said the committee's current recommended restrictions of 20 retail marijuana stores in Aurora would discourage industry businesses from the area.
"A lot of times the regulations imposed are not seen from certain aspects of the real estate community," Roth said. "My concern is that overregulation or too large of buffers is going to prevent the industry from even starting in the right direction."
During an Amendment 64 Policy Committee meeting in August, the three-person committee made up of city council members Bob Roth, Molly Markert and Barbara Cleland decided to cap the number of allotted stores at 20, though it was previously determined the city has room for about 40.
"My feeling is that the market will find its own level," city councilmen and Amendment 64 Policy Committee chair Bob Roth said. "I feel like if there's 10 shops or 50 shops it's probably going to still do about the same amount or volume of business."
But at the meeting, Gannon Roth said some of the additional limitations the committee agreed upon last month – including a 1,000-foot setback from hospitals, childcare facilities and churches, and at least a mile between retail pot shops and schools – leave few options from a space rental standpoint for the prospective businesses.
Gannon Roth recommended the committee reconsider those limitations. He said medical marijuana users who are in hospitals are being cut off from their medication, and the definition of a religious institution is vague and could include community centers and nonprofits.
"One store per every 1,000 feet is already quite restrictive in my opinion," Gannon Roth said.
But Councilman Roth doesn't think the restrictions will affect a business where a demand already exists.
"My preference would be to err on the side of caution because this, or a future council can always lessen restrictions," Councilman Roth said. "It will be much more difficult to increase restrictions."
Aurora placed a moratorium on retail marijuana sales for one year, ending May 2014.
Voters previously rejected a measure to allow medical pot stores in city limits, which are the only businesses that can apply to sell recreational marijuana.
Since there are no medical dispensaries in the city, Colorado law prohibits recreational outlets from opening in Aurora before October 2014 – not including a minimum 90-day application process from the state.
Markert asked Gannon Roth if it was feasible to ask potential pot store owners to begin an application process with a leased space that they couldn't move into for several months.
"It would be a very specific type of landlord who's willing to say, 'I'm going to have my place sit dark and look vacant for eight months,' " Gannon Roth said. "It's a major hurdle, but it's not an impossibility."
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: denverpost.com
Author: Megan Mitchell
Contact: Contact Us - The Denver Post
Website: Aurora talks rec marijuana shops - The Denver Post
During his presentation, Gannon Roth, a broker associate and realtor with Unique Properties Inc., said the committee's current recommended restrictions of 20 retail marijuana stores in Aurora would discourage industry businesses from the area.
"A lot of times the regulations imposed are not seen from certain aspects of the real estate community," Roth said. "My concern is that overregulation or too large of buffers is going to prevent the industry from even starting in the right direction."
During an Amendment 64 Policy Committee meeting in August, the three-person committee made up of city council members Bob Roth, Molly Markert and Barbara Cleland decided to cap the number of allotted stores at 20, though it was previously determined the city has room for about 40.
"My feeling is that the market will find its own level," city councilmen and Amendment 64 Policy Committee chair Bob Roth said. "I feel like if there's 10 shops or 50 shops it's probably going to still do about the same amount or volume of business."
But at the meeting, Gannon Roth said some of the additional limitations the committee agreed upon last month – including a 1,000-foot setback from hospitals, childcare facilities and churches, and at least a mile between retail pot shops and schools – leave few options from a space rental standpoint for the prospective businesses.
Gannon Roth recommended the committee reconsider those limitations. He said medical marijuana users who are in hospitals are being cut off from their medication, and the definition of a religious institution is vague and could include community centers and nonprofits.
"One store per every 1,000 feet is already quite restrictive in my opinion," Gannon Roth said.
But Councilman Roth doesn't think the restrictions will affect a business where a demand already exists.
"My preference would be to err on the side of caution because this, or a future council can always lessen restrictions," Councilman Roth said. "It will be much more difficult to increase restrictions."
Aurora placed a moratorium on retail marijuana sales for one year, ending May 2014.
Voters previously rejected a measure to allow medical pot stores in city limits, which are the only businesses that can apply to sell recreational marijuana.
Since there are no medical dispensaries in the city, Colorado law prohibits recreational outlets from opening in Aurora before October 2014 – not including a minimum 90-day application process from the state.
Markert asked Gannon Roth if it was feasible to ask potential pot store owners to begin an application process with a leased space that they couldn't move into for several months.
"It would be a very specific type of landlord who's willing to say, 'I'm going to have my place sit dark and look vacant for eight months,' " Gannon Roth said. "It's a major hurdle, but it's not an impossibility."
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: denverpost.com
Author: Megan Mitchell
Contact: Contact Us - The Denver Post
Website: Aurora talks rec marijuana shops - The Denver Post
