Is Calexico councilman profiting from land sale?
QHow true is it that the site of the cannabis cultivation and manufacturing plant is being considered at a lot off Weakly Street and Frontage Road that happens to be owned by none other than Councilman Armando Real? Isn’t that a conflict of interest? There are many empty lots off Cole Road. Why is Mr. Real’s property being looked at? Could you please find out the truth? – Just Say No to Corruption, Calexico
ACurrently, there is only one permitted and proposed cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility that, at the moment, is going through the preliminary review process before it eventually returns to the city council for possible final approval.
The specific location of that permitted facility was previously disclosed in this newspaper, as well as at previous council meetings, and will not be located on land that belongs to Councilman Armando Real. Truth be told, Real doesn’t own any land, he assured us.
However, his father does own three acres of land near Weakley Street and Scaroni Avenue. That parcel is in the general vicinity of the area the Probe writer referenced, and also within what the city has designated as its “cannabis overlay zone,” a 342-acre area within the city’s northwest sector where cannabis-related cultivation and manufacturing businesses are permitted as a result of the city’s ordinance authorizing such activities.
The cannabis overlay zone covers about a quarter of the city’s total size, and is bordered by the railroad tracks to the west, Adler Canal on the north, West Van de Graff and Scaroni avenues on the east, and Weakley Street and Camacho Road on the south.
Real also assured us that his father has no plans on selling the property, which has been in the family for 40 years, much less go into the business of cultivating or manufacturing cannabis products.
A family-owned tire shop is situated on Real’s father’s land, which is also adjacent to a church, whose presence would also make it impossible for Real’s father to develop the land into a cannabis-related business – even if he wanted to, which he doesn’t, Real assured us. State law prohibits the establishment of such cannabis-related businesses next to places of worship, as well as schools, Real said.
Whatever opinion the Probe writer may have of Real or his family, Real said that the last thing his father could be expected to do is go down in Calexico history as the one who opened up a cannabis-related business next to a church.
As for any theoretical conflict of interest, the Probe writer may recall that Real was but one of four members of the City Councll that had voted to approve the permit for the proposed cannabis cultivation facility.
So even if Real had recused himself from that vote because of some real or perceived conflict of interest, the resolution would’ve passed by a majority of the council, Real said.
It’s unfortunate if Calexico residents are under the impression that Real stands to personally gain financially from the establishment of the permitted cannabis cultivation facility. It would be more unfortunate if the Probe writer was well aware that there wasn’t any connection and solely sought to create a cloud of suspicion around Real.
In any case, we thank Real for helping set the record straight.