POT: Former meat plant

said, was other businesses who come before the commission would be held to zoning ordinances without exception.

“We are so stigmatized; we are so looked at,” said Chris Hester, a member of the Marysville Cannabis Co. “We are not a contributor of violence or drug abuse to the community.”

He said the building, at 107 10th St., is ideal for growing marijuana because of its history as a meat packing plant. The building is already sealed, and airflow out of the structure will be filtered to prevent any cannabis odor.

He said the company is mindful of the community, and if there is an event featuring children at Ellis Lake, the business is willing to close its doors for the day. The dispensary will also feature armed guards to deter transients, he told the commission.

Commission member David Hobbs voted against the company’s permit.

“It seems to me one of our primary responsibilities is to make sure it complies with the city ordinance,” he said.

City Manager Walter Munchheimer sent an email in January verifying the zoning for the dispensary.

“Issuing a clean Zoning Verification Letter to the Marysville Cannabis Co. for (its) proposed location on B Street was an exercise of common sense judgment,” Munchheimer said in the email. “Ellis Lake, despite its nonsensical (res- idential) zoning, is incapable of supporting residential uses and so will never have housing units built any closer than the west bank of the lake, which is outside the separation distance."

Commission member Beverly Hayes joined Hobbs in dissenting. Commission member Brad Hudson missed the meeting.

Commission chair Bruce Buttaacavoli and members Michael Paine, Candis King and Ben Deal voted for the exception.

“That the commission would overlook their own zoning laws is a disservice to the community as a whole,” Shaffer said. “It’s put in place for a reason and usually that’s a good reason."

The commission voted unanimously for city staff to evaluate if the McDonald’s near the proposed River City Phoenix Marysville dispensary location qualified as a recreational area for minors, due to the play area.

“It does not meet that requirement, no,” said Denis Cook, the interim director of the City Services Department.

“I think our place is to make sure it follows the law,” said Buttacavoli, the newly elected chair of the commission.

Cook said staff will work to combine the use permit for River City Phoenix Marysville with the building permit proposal. The commission will vote on both permits at an unspecified date, he said.