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City Council

City Council renews CUP for medical marijuana site in north Scottsdale

Posted 3/31/20

A north Scottsdale medical marijuana dispensary will continue offering services after the City Council approved the renewal of a conditional use permit for the site.

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City Council

City Council renews CUP for medical marijuana site in north Scottsdale

Posted

A north Scottsdale medical marijuana dispensary will continue offering services after the City Council approved the renewal of a conditional use permit for the site.

Green Sky Patient Center of Scottsdale North, which is doing business as Arizona Natural Selections, occupies about 2,700 square feet at 7320 E. Butherus Drive near the Scottsdale Airport. Council approved on consent the CUP at its March 17 meeting.

Arizona Natural Selections not only dispenses medical marijuana, but it also has staff provide consultations on-site as well as provide educational materials to patients.

City staff emphasized there is no cultivation or processing at the location because the business contracts with a separate facility to provide marijuana.

In its review of the renewal request to see if it met CUP guidelines, the Planning Commission found the business doesn’t negatively affect public heath, safety or welfare.

Specifically, the commission looked at any potential damage or nuisance arising from noise, smoke, odor, dust, vibration or illumination as well as its impact on surrounding areas because of “unusual volume or character of traffic.

In both instances, the commission found there would be no irregularities nor would there be any different traffic than that of a medical or professional office us.

Also part of the CUP guidelines, the Planning Commission reviewed whether the business was reasonably compatible with surrounding uses to which the commission deemed it satisfactory.

Along with the CUP guidelines, the Planning Commission also reviewed city stipulations for medical marijuana use, which includes eight guidelines:

  • All operations are conducted within a completely enclosed building;
  • Medical marijuana is not located within 500 of protected districts or uses;
  • Medical marijuana use is at least 1,320 feet from other uses such as medical marijuana caregiver cultivation use and any other medical marijuana use;
  • All distances are measured from the wall of the medical marijuana dispensary use nearest to the district or use;
  • The applicant has provided a written exterior refuse control plan;
  • The applicant has provided a written public safety plan;
  • The hours of operation are between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.; and
  • There is no drive-thru service, take-out windor or drive-in service.

The Planning Commission found the business to be in compliance with each stipulation, prompting a unanimous recommendation from the group.

The City Council originally approved the CUP in 2015 for five years, setting up the expiration date on the original CUP as July 1. City staff say there are not any “substantive changes” to use and operation since 2015.

The renewal gives the dispensary another five years before having to apply for a renewal.

Arizona Natural Selection is part of a larger building that also houses office, aviation, retail and restaurant services. It sits within a industrial park district and features Scottsdale Quarter to the west with restaurants and bars to the south.

The renewal passed the Planning Commission unanimously and the Scottsdale Police Department approved the site’s public safety and refuse control plan. City staff say they did not receive any public comment.