A conditional-use permit has been approved for a smoke shop to be on West Apache Trail near Idaho Road in Apache Junction.
The Apache Junction Planning and Zoning Commission on April 8 voted 5-2 to approve the permit for Saguaro Smoke Shop at Units 8 and 9 of 100 W. Apache Trail. Dissenting were Commissioners Sheryl Bigelow and Roy Starr.
“I don’t see the need for another smoke shop. I don’t know if you realize, but from the east side of Meridian to Thunderbird — that’s 1.4 miles — there’s already six smoke shops. That’s just my two cents,” Bigelow said before the vote.
Any individual can appeal the case in writing with a filing fee within 20 days to the city council, Development Services Director Rudy Esquivias said after the vote.
The smoke shop is to be in Parkway Plaza and will not sell marijuana, Associate Planner Theint Ko said to the commission.
“Since the project site is already a developed property, there won’t be any major improvements involved. However, the applicant will be required to restripe the parking spaces in front of the units 8 and 9 and there will also be some interior minor improvements,” Ko said.
Glass products, CBD products, cigars and other nicotine and vaping products will be stocked.
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Glass products, CBD products, cigars and other nicotine and vaping products will be stocked, applicant Noah Morrill-Mason of Saguaro Smoke Shop told the commission.
“We don’t sell marijuana. We don’t plan on selling marijuana at all. We are not a dispensary,” he said. “Every product that will be in our inventory will be 100% legal.”
The business is not a lounge and no smoking will be allowed in or around the business, Morrill-Mason said.
“It’s a dream to be able to open up a smoke shop in a place that I’ve called home for the past five years. And to get this opportunity feels like a dream,” Morrill-Mason told the commission.
Starr, who said he is a health science doctor, asked if the business would have signs about smoke-cessation programs to warn of the dangers of smoking.
“We definitely can. I am not against that,” Morrill-Mason said. “(S)moking’s bad, and if people choose to come and smoke, come on in — we’ll have the products that you carry. But yeah, I don’t have a problem with carrying or showing signage that shows the repercussions of smoking.”
The primary duties of the planning and zoning commission include community contact regarding items including a zoning change request, to an application from a developer for a shopping center development or housing project. Also included are conditional use permits with the final decision being handled at the planning and zoning commission level, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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