COMPANY PUSHES BENEFITS OF MEDICAL POT IN RIVERSIDE

Company touts benefits; some residents opposed.

The company seeking to grow marijuana in Riverside says the stigma surrounding the drug is overshadowing the benefits and job opportunities it can bring to the community, but not all residents are convinced.

Farms of Riverside LLC, wants to purchase land from the city near the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force under a deal City Council could vote on Aug. 17.

If approved, the measure would allow the city manager to enter into an agreement to sell the land, the so-called Center of Flight site off of Springfield Street, for $20,000 an acre.

“The biggest concern is the preconception is that marijuana is apparently bad,” said Mike Horne, Farms of Riverside vice president of human resources.

“Once they get rid of the emotional stigma that has been associated with marijuana — since its been illegal for the last 30 or 40 years — I think once they get rid of that preconception that it is a bad thing, they can look at the positive business aspects like medical marijuana is going to bring to their community,” Horne said.

In July, Riverside City Manager Mark Carpenter said the city has long looked for a use for the vacant property, and the indoor cultivation facility — which would need to be built — could bring 50 to 70 jobs.

Farms of Riverside is one of 109 companies listed by the state as filing an application for a Level 1 application, meaning it could initially grow up to 25,000 square feet.

The proposed facility is near residential homes. Horne said

homeowners worried the drug will drive their home values down have to look at the experiences in other states.

“All of the other states have reported that property values around the marijuana business actually increased,” Horne said. “The reason being is because the properties become more desirable for higher paid workers who want to live nearby work.”

Horne spoke to an estimated 50 people in Riverside who gathered at a meeting Thursday night to hear the plans.

Some residents were opposed to the idea of allowing medical marijuana in their community.

Jean Edwards has lived in Riverside for 30 years. She says she’s been against the proposed medical marijuana facility from the beginning.

“If the city would fix this up, it would bring better people and bring better businesses to the area,” she said.