Pubdate: Fri, 26 Jul 2013
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2013 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122

PUEBLO COUNTY APPROVES MARIJUANA GREENHOUSE

Pueblo (AP) - Pueblo County commissioners have given final approval 
for a Denver medical marijuana dispensary to open a greenhouse in the 
eastern part of the county, raising the hackles of local residents 
who said they don't want to create an export crop.

Commissioners who approved the greenhouse Wednesday said the owners 
will not sell marijuana in Pueblo and will ship it to Denver.

"This is not a retail outlet," Commissioner Liane "Buffie" McFadyen 
said. "This is a grow operation, which we are approving under medical 
marijuana licensing regulations."

The request from Metro Cannabis Inc. already has received approval 
from previous board members, the Pueblo Chieftain reported Thursday.

Pueblo is one of the few counties in the state that license medical 
pot greenhouses.

"There were previous grow operations approved," Commissioner Sal Pace 
said. "This was not a dramatic shift in public policy."

So far, Pueblo County has approved nine local medical marijuana 
dispensary applications. Of those, several included greenhouses, both 
on-site and off-site.

Pace likened the new greenhouse operation to economic development - 
an outside company coming to Pueblo, employing locally and shipping 
out its product.

Crime, water and fire concerns were among the issues raised by opponents.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom