Verdant Creations Columbus LLC may open a dual-use marijuana dispensary at the site of the former EZ Credit Auto Sales on Pike Street. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)
A second dispensary for medical and adult-use marijuana could open in Marietta.
During a special meeting of the Marietta City Council on August 22, City Law Director Paul Bertram mentioned that there was a business interested in opening an adult-use recreational marijuana dispensary on State Route 7 (Pike Street) across from McAlarney’s Pools, Spas and Billiards.
During the meeting, Bertram said the location meets the state requirement that dispensaries be at least one mile apart. According to Google Maps, the location is 2.1 miles from Marietta’s only medical and recreational marijuana dispensary, Columbia Care, located at 414 Greene St.
During the special council meeting, three adult recreational marijuana ordinances were discussed on first reading. One of them would limit the number of adult marijuana dispensaries in Marietta to two. If the dispensary opens, it would be the last one permitted in Marietta if the ordinances are passed by the council.
According to the application, obtained through a public records request, the city received an application for a building permit for the land use from Verdant Creations Columbus LLC in August.
According to the application, Verdant Creations wants to operate a marijuana dispensary at 903 Pike Street, a former car dealership.
According to Washington County Auditor records, the property is owned by Pottmeyer Auto Sales Inc., and according to EZ Credit’s old Facebook page, the location was formerly EZ Credit Auto Sales.
The application lists the retail space as 3,000 square feet and the number of employees as 15. It is not clear if the 3,000 square feet of retail space is what is already on the property or if Verdant Creations plans to build a property of that size. Jim Caldwell, building inspector for the city of Marietta, said during the Aug. 22 meeting that the company contacted him about a demolition permit for the site and he referred them to the appropriate department.
According to Verdant Creations’ website, the company operates medical and adult-use recreational marijuana dispensaries in Columbus and Marengo, Ohio, and has a medical marijuana dispensary in Parkersburg.
Verdant Creations is based in Columbus and its owner is Kelly Hondros, according to her LinkedIn page. Hondros is the one who signed the zoning permit application on August 2nd.
Although the status of the dispensary is currently unknown, the City of Marietta issued a zoning notice, which Caldwell signed on August 6. The notice states that 903 Pike St. does not currently have zoning for dual-use dispensaries.
Specific information on how much money the city of Marietta receives for its share of the 10 percent excise tax levied on medical marijuana at the city’s current dual-use dispensary is not available, but the state of Ohio pays 36 percent of tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales statewide into the Host Community Cannabis Fund, which is used to support communities and municipalities that have an adult-use recreational marijuana dispensary.
Sales of adult-use recreational marijuana began on August 6, and as of August 17, $22,473,262 in adult-use recreational marijuana products had been sold in Ohio.
Requests for comment from Verdant Creations Columbus LLC remained unanswered by press time.
