The Mitchell Planning Commission today denied a conditional use permit for the operation of a medical cannabis dispensary in downtown Mitchell. The Flower Shop LLC applied for the permit to operate the dispensary at 100 North Main Street. The building previously housed The Rusted Wing gift shop.
Several property owners in the area opposed the permit including Don Dahl, who manages several projects on Main Street for California developer John Adamo. “My opinion is on the dispensaries is really simple,” Dahl told the commission. “I think that they’re nothing more than a legalized drug dealer. I get it. I understand the advances in medical marijuana. I understand the advantages. But the dispensary issue is uncontrollable. Too many people have access to it. And it brings an element into society that is not conducive, I believe, to what the city is planning for Main Street.”
Peter Dikun, who owns The Flower Shop LLC, told the commission that he thinks the location is perfect for that because it is zoned correctly. “There’s no daycares, there’s no churches, there’s nothing like that in the vicinity,” he said. “There’s gonna be five dispensaries here in this town, and you don’t have many places to put them.” Dikun also noted the improvements that are planned for the building’s interior and exterior.
The Mitchell Planning Commission voted to deny the conditional use permit by a vote of 3-2. The Mitchell City Council will hear the request at its next regular meeting on June 20th.
Although the city has approved all five dispensary licenses, only one dispensary is currently up and running in Mitchell.