The Peoria Planning and Zoning Commission gave its OK Thursday to a craft cannabis grower to start up business in South Peoria. But that vote on the Grow Trust's application didn't come without some scrutiny.
Commissioner Robin Grantham said she's heard numerous concerns about marijuana odors from nearby residents.
"We can't have the smell of money in the 4th District, but the smell of a skunk in the 1st District," she said. "So that definitely needs to be addressed."
The Grow Trust's Joshua Blue said the facility at 4040 SW Adams would be fitted with carbon filters to prevent odors from permeating into the nearby neighborhood. The special use zoning application also calls for a new fence around the building. The craft cannabis growing operation wouldn't be open to the public.
Members of Southside Community United for Change said they felt blindsided by the company's lack of neighborhood outreach efforts, and only learned about the plans through local media reports.
Brian Montgomery is vice president of the company.
"We don't want to step on anybody's toes. We're new at this. This isn't something that we've been doing forever. We didn't have any idea about engaging the community, you know, knocking on doors," he said. "For us, it was just so much to do with so little time that we just put our nose to the ground and just tried to get everything done because there's just a mountain of work. And unfortunately we failed at that. We didn't reach out to the community."
But Montgomery said his company wants to partner up with the community to make South Peoria better. He said the facility's security will "rival banks," and 4.2% of profits would be donated to local foundations like JOLT Harm Reduction.
First District Councilwoman Denise Moore questioned The Grow Trust's decision to host its career fair at the Illinois Central College Peoria campus rather than somewhere in the First District, like the Carver Center or Peoria Public Library, where more residents might be able to apply for jobs and benefit.
Montgomery said he moved the location from the Carver Center to ICC to coincide with a cannabis education event hosted by state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, this weekend at her recommendation.
The Grow Trust is a social equity applicant under the state's new marijuana law, meaning that its proposed location in a lower-income and majority black neighborhood is a positive factor in the state application process. The company expects to create 15 jobs and generate about $178,000 in annual tax revenue by its third year in business.
Before the vote, Planning and Zoning chairman Mike Wiesehan told commission members that factors like odor control or community outreach efforts shouldn't factor into their votes, as those concerns aren't in their purview. The commission voted 4-2 to approve the application, with Grantham and Ed Barry dissenting.
The city council is set to vote on final approval of The Grow Trust's application on Feb. 25.
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