Board OKs resolution to review future medical cannabis facilities
Hewitt calls it ‘too little, too late’
A measure that called for the planning commission to consider amending the zoning ordinance to allow review of future medical marijuana facilities in the county was unanimously approved by the St. Mary’s County commissioners at the beginning of their March 22 meeting.
However, Commissioner Mike Hewitt (R) said the measure was “too little, too late” since a 50,000-square-foot facility is already being built in Abell and will likely be the only one that Southern Maryland gets in the foreseeable future.
“This is kind of a surprise. This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Hewitt said, after Commissioner Todd Morgan (R) made a motion for the resolution, which was seconded by Commissioner John O’Connor (R). The item was not on the agenda.
O’Connor noted that he made a request to the county attorney about it and worked with Morgan on the resolution.
Hewitt said people in the area near the Abell facility were “really surprised.” He added that he has no problem with medical marijuana and someone coming up with an idea to make millions of dollars. However, he said 2018 “was the time this use should’ve been looked at.”
“This was proposed as an agricultural use and was deemed [by county staff] to be horticulture,” he said.
O’Connor said Hewitt sat on the Critical Area Commission for seven years and said the plan for the medical marijuana facility was vetted by the CAC.
Hewitt denied that, however. “It was never brought before the Critical Area Commission,” he said, adding that he first found out about it when county resident Howie Guy told him early in March.
Hewitt said that other counties in the state have regulations about where such facilities go before they’re built.
“St. Mary’s County didn’t do that,” he said.
“For this thing not to even get a hearing doesn’t make sense, but that cow’s out of the barn. There’s not much we can do. There’s not another one coming.” The latter was in reference to the Abell medical marijuana facility being one of 20 in the state. “This is all for show,” Hewitt said.
Construction of the medical marijuana grow house began last summer, according to Charlie Mattingly, owner of Seven Points Agro. The target opening of the 50,000-square-foot building is late this summer on the corner of Abell and Gerard’s Cove roads, a former family farm where Mattingly said he grew up.
Twenty-five employees are included in the first phase of operations with a total of 60 after the second phase, according to Mattingly.
Such grow houses are regulated by the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, he said.
A citizens’ meeting for area residents about the project was held at the county’s Chesapeake Building in Leonardtown on Feb. 25, according to O’Connor (R), who said he hosted it with Morgan.
Mattingly told Southern Maryland News that he will voluntarily install “black out shade” on fencing at the site. He also plans to install a 10-foot earthen berm around the building and plant some 300 10-foot Leyland Cypress trees that will mature to 40 feet in three years.
Mattingly opened SOMD Relief, a medical marijuana dispensary in Mechanicsville several years ago.
O’Connor earlier called the operation “massive from the economic development side” and said it could potentially offer as many as 300 jobs.