The Longmont City Council on Tuesday night is to consider an outside water tap and a fire hydrant that would serve an indoor marijuana growing facility that’s to be built in the unincorporated village of Hygiene.
The city’s reclassification of an existing tap that ties in to city water service is needed because it presently is limited to water residential use on the property at 7593 Hygiene Road.
On Aug. 23, the owner of the property, Robert Gourley, got Boulder County commissioners’ conditional approval to proceed with removing the existing structures there and to construct an indoor marijuana growing facility.
The Longmont Water Board had already recommended on July 11 that the city approve an agreement with Gourley that essentially would reclassify the existing residential water tap that’s been served by Longmont water for several decades and change it to a commercial and mixed-use tap classification, according to the city staff.
One of the conditions that Boulder County applied to its approval of the marijuana growing facility – a condition sought by the Hygiene Fire Protection District – is for a fire hydrant to be installed on or near that facility and be in place before any building permits are issued for the new structure.
Longmont city staff said in a memo for the meeting that it had reviewed that request, and unless directed otherwise by the council, it would work with Gourley and the Fire Protection District to get the hydrant installed, at the property owner’s expense.
The resolution that would approve the water tap is on the City Council’s "consent" agenda and will not be discussed unless one of the council members asks that it be taken up and voted on separately. However, people signing up for the general public comment period at the beginning of the meeting can speak on items that are to be taken up later that night as part of the consent agenda.
Debbie Schlepp, owner of the Crane Hollow Cafe at the southeast corner of Hygiene Road and North 75th Street, said on Monday that she – along with many of the village’s other business owners and residents – continue to oppose the presence of a marijuana growing operation in their midst.
"It’s not an appropriate type of business for the area," Schlepp said.
The county commissioners’ August approval for Gourley to proceed with converting the property to a marijuana growing facility came over the objections of about two dozen people who testified against allowing such a use in their community. Several of those speakers expressed concerns about the proximity of the property to Hygiene Elementary School. Others warned about public safety issues – such as the potential for fires – that they said might occur there and the would-be thieves they said such a facility might attract.
County commissioners, however, decided on a 2-1 vote that Gourley’s property qualified for an indoor growing facility, under the standards and provisions set by Boulder County’s Land Use Code.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Longmont City Council To Consider Water Tap, Hydrant For Hygiene Marijuana Grow
Author: John Fryar
Contact: 303-776-2244
Photo Credit: Lewis Geyer
Website: Times-Call
