Nov. 4—The Marysville City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to pass a resolution defining the number of different types of commercial cannabis businesses that can operate within the city.
Staff’s recommendation listed 16 different types of businesses but during discussion, Vice Mayor Bruce Buttacavoli, with amendments from councilman Dom Belza, presented an amended list to include fewer types of businesses. Buttacavoli, Belza, and councilmen Brad Hudson and Stuart Gilchrist voted yes. Mayor Chris Branscum voted no.
The resolution provides the following limits on how many licenses are available for cannabis businesses in Marysville: speciality/small/medium cultivation: zero, large cultivation (22,000 square foot or larger): one, manufacturing: one, testing: one, retail storefront: two, delivery: zero, distribution: one, microbusiness: zero.
Staff’s recommendation included seven different types of speciality, small and medium cultivations that would be able to receive a license. It also included one nursery and one microbusiness. Buttacavoli said the staff’s list included types of businesses that overlapped and provided a loophole to allow many of the same type of business in the city. He said his recommendation was in line with the promise a previous city council made to limit cannabis businesses.
“I do not want to be known as a cannabis community,” Buttacavoli said.
During the meeting, four individuals spoke in support of the cannabis industry in the city. Robert Myers, who operates a testing lab in the city, said the council should not lock itself in by putting a number limit on each type of business. Vinayak Shastry, CEO of Ember Valley, an indoor cultivation company, spoke of the benefits of adding a cultivation facility to Marysville and expressed interest in opening up a site in the city. He said it would bring new jobs and increase Marysville’s tax base.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to do business in Marysville,” Shastry said.
Perfect Union representative Caity Maple touted the dispensary’s commitment to being a responsible community partner and the donations the company has made to local organizations during its approximately three years in Marysville.
Lance Robbins owns the Marysville hotel and surrounding properties and told the council he would like another dispensary to open in the city that would focus on providing medical marijuana. If approved, he said the retail facility could open at one of the properties he owns at the corner of E Street and Fifth Street.
Marysville resident Michelle Barker voiced her opposition to adding more cannabis businesses in the city.
“I don’t want to ruin Marysville,” Barker said. “… I don’t want to see any more dispensaries.”
Branscum said he’s concerned about Marysville’s finances in the next several years with a one cent sales tax scheduled to sunset in 2026 that made up about $3.4 million of last year’s $12.8 million general fund. He said total tax revenue from cannabis last year came out to about $1 million and could be increased with additional dispensaries and/or cultivation businesses.
“It has been very good to Marysville,” Branscum said.
Hudson said he is not against cannabis but said he’s concerned with the perception of the city if it were to allow for an increase in cannabis businesses. Belza asked Police Chief Chris Sachs about the application process for cannabis business licenses and about how many applications have been received since the city adopted a cannabis ordinance in 2016. Sachs said there has been one cultivation application in the last five years and no manufacturing applications. Belza also pointed to 58 percent of Marysville voters who were against a county measure regarding medicinal marijuana.
Branscum countered by saying the vote was five years ago before citizens had experienced the benefits of the cannabis industry in the community. In addition, he pointed out that despite a lack of applications, there is interest from business owners to move into Marysville that could be missed out on.
Branscum made a motion to pass staff’s recommendation but failed to receive a second from the other council members. Buttacavoli’s amendment with Belza’s changes was voted on and passed 4-1.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.
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