John Scarffe, Nederland. The Nederland Board of Trustees received a request for a retail marijuana business in Nederland during their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 7. Stacy Johnson for APEX Industries, Inc., Harvest House, submitted an application to run a retail marijuana store at 211 Highway 119.

The Town received this application on December 16, 2014. It was deemed complete on March 6, 2015, at which time the 45-day clock for a public hearing started.

The public notice has been properly posted and published within the 10-day requirement. The 45 business days expire on May 8.

In December 2014, Stacy Johnson applied to the State for a Retail Marijuana Store and a Retail Marijuana Cultivation license. The State issued its Retail Marijuana Conditional Licenses effective February 4, 2015.

The Town Clerk has confirmed that the necessary requirements of an application have been met. The Clerk has forwarded the completed application to the Building, Fire, and Police Departments for their review and comment.

According to staff, The Police Department noted concerns regarding parking availability and odor mitigation. The Fire Department reviewed the application and has no issues with approval, contingent upon compliance with building and fire codes once the business is ready to open.

Upon completion of the Life Safety Building Inspection, Chad Johnson, SAFEBuilt inspector, made specific recommendations for the building requiring a new set of plans and a building permit. The property is still going through the building process.

As per the Nederland Municipal Code, the retail marijuana store may be open seven days a week, and the hours of operation may commence no earlier than 8 a.m. and end no later than midnight the same day. Harvest House is proposing hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Harvest House is located in the General Commercial zoning district (GC), which allows for the proposed use. Staff recommended approval, as all regulatory requirements have been met, conditional upon the satisfactory final building inspection.

Johnson said he appreciates the honor of conducting business in Nederland. He is using local contractors and will hire three or four employees. It will be located across the street from Blue Owl books.

Mayor Pro Tem Peter Fiori testified in favor of Mr. Johnson’s character after sitting on two boards with him “He will not turn around and sell it. He’s in line with our goals,” Fiori said.

Mayor Joe Gierlach said the applicant developed Chapter 4 of the Town’s Code. Town Administrator Alisha Reis said the parking considerations are contained in the building permit and the applicant will need to show that parking and odor concerns are taken care of per Town code. The Board approved the application.

Proclamations and Recognitions

Mayor Gierlach presented Public Works Manager Jason Morrison with a proclamation recognizing him for his service. Morrison began work as the Public Works Manager on August 16, 2011, and has done an outstanding job of increasing the professionalism of the Public Works Department, and improving infrastructure and maintenance services town-wide, according to the proclamation.

He has served with distinction, treating residents and all whom he encountered in the community with integrity and respect and routinely placed the needs of the Nederland community above his own. Gierlach also declared Tuesday, April 7, 2015, Jason Morrison Day in the Town of Nederland.

Morrison thanked the Town for the experience. “It was a wonderful opportunity,” he said.

Reis announced that Saws and Slaws has been recognized at the national level as an innovative method of getting into neighborhoods for fire mitigation. Helping with fire mitigation on private properties has not been done well before.

“It is a model across the country,” Reis said. She explained that several neighbors will get together and work for four hours doing fire mitigation and then will celebrate that work when everyone pulls together for a potluck. The Town has been doing Saws and Slaws for three years.

The Board also proclaimed Earth Day 2015. The proclamation reads: “Let it be known that the Town of Nederland hereby encourages its residents, businesses and institutions to use Earth Day to celebrate the Earth and commit to building a sustainable and green economy. The Town of Nederland hereby pledges this Earth Day, April 22, 2015, to support green economy initiatives in the Town of Nederland and to encourage others to undertake similar actions.”

The next meeting of the Nederland Board of Trustees was on Tuesday, April 21, at 7 p.m. at the Nederland Community Center.