The application process for medical marijuana growing facilities and dispensaries has officially begun. But many applicants have been busy for months lining up sites and getting permits from local governments. Those county boards and municipal councils have been receptive.
Most people’s interaction with the new law will be through the dispensaries which will dole out the medical marijuana. But there’s no doubt that the growing centers, which will also process the plant material for its prescribed use, have drawn the most attention from local officials.
Bob Vickrey is Director of Economic Development for the City of Peru. He’s been the city’s point man as the process has unfolded. Vickrey says the city has tried to be proactive. That included amending the zoning laws in March to allow for growing facilities in industrial areas. Vickrey says the city figured there might be some interest.
“But we weren’t prepared for 19 inquiries. And out of that 19, six have come forward, made presentations to the Peru City Council, have applied for a special use permit.”
While the crop may be unusual, Vickrey says the reasons to pursue such a business are quite conventional: good jobs and revenue for the community.
“We expect a good grower will generate a hundred new jobs by the end of year three. Those jobs are going to be better paying than average, ranging from thirty thousand dollars a year to a hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year.”
Then there’s the capital investment to get the facility going –which Vickrey estimates at eight to ten million dollars - and the construction jobs that go along with that.
In Peru’s case, there one more reason to pursue such a facility. Peru owns its own municipal power plant, and Vickrey says the estimated annual income, just in electricity, would be around two-and-a-half million dollars.
Under the program, one growing facility will be allowed within each of Illinois’ state police districts. Peru’s district includes LaSalle, Bureau and Putnam Counties. Vickrey says he’s aware of single proposals in several other towns. But Vickrey feels Peru’s chances are good.
“We’re pretty pleased that in the horse race, we have a six horses in a race that might have a dozen entries.”
Bill Hadley feels that way, too. Hadley is chairman of the Stephenson County Board. The County had thirteen inquiries, and no fewer than four groups proposing to build a medical marijuana growing facility have signed purchase agreements -- and paid a hefty fee -- for rights to sites at a county-owned industrial park near Freeport called Mill Race Crossing. That’s got Hadley excited.
“We’ve had a lot of deals fall through where it is still completely empty. We’ve see a golden opportunity to come along to put at least one person in Mill Race Crossing.”
Hadley says that opportunity comes not only from the badly needed jobs and revenue that a growing facility would provide. Having an active business in the industrial park will enable more improvements, which Hadley says should make it more attractive to potential tenants. That in turn could lead to more development, and even more jobs.
To that end, Hadley says the county tried to streamline the process in order to encourage multiple applicants to consider the site. Hadley says the county also offered the lots at a lower price for what he calls the best deal in the region.
Stephenson County is in a state police district with, and competing against, sites in Boone, Winnebago and Jo Daviess Counties. Like Vickrey, Hadley says it’s hoped having more candidates would increase the county’s chances.
Both Vickrey and Hadley say their governing bodies have done what was needed to facilitate the proposals they’ve received. Hadley worries, though, that won’t be enough.
“If they go by the point system, I think we’ve got a couple of candidates that could win that license for Stephenson County, but if they go by politics, and you know how things are in Springfield, we just might lose out, and I hope it’s not that way this time.”
It hasn’t helped that state officials have said that, under Illinois’ medical marijuana statute, such applications aren’t subject to state open records laws.
There’s been a lot of activity across Illinois, with individual applications for sites in and around many towns. Some would-be growers are filing for licenses at multiple locations, further complicating the picture.
Illinois’ pilot program only allows for a limited number of growers spread across the state. That means only one of the medical marijuana growing facilities proposed for a county or city may be built, or perhaps none. But as Hadley and Vickrey can attest, it won’t be for a lack of effort on the part of local officials.
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Virtually every county in Illinois has seen proposals at either the municipal or county level. Below is a partial list of proposed sites where medical marijuana growing facilities in northern Illinois that have received approval and/or backing from local or county officials. Proposals where jurisdiction uncertain or on unincorporated land are listed by county.
Amboy, Bartlett (4), Batavia, Delavan, Dixon (2), Elk Grove Village(5), Fulton, Hodgkins, Iroquois County (2), Jo Daviess County, Joliet (2), Kankakee (3), LaSalle (3), Lee County, Mapleton, Marengo, McHenry, McLean County (2), Morrison, Normal, Oglesby, Ottawa, Pekin, Rock Island County, Spring Valley, Stephenson County, Sterling, Tazewell County. Proposals in Belvidere in Boone County (2) and in Winnebago County have not received official backing.
