A proposed medical marijuana dispensary received approval from Des Plaines officials to open up shop — with the caveat that company officials must pay an annual impact fee of $15,000.
Following several discussions of the proposed facility over the past month, the Des Plaines City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a conditional-use permit for Prime Wellness of Illinois that would allow the company to operate a 4,000-square-foot medical marijuana dispensary at 415 W. Touhy Ave.
The council was poised to approve the permit at its last meeting in November, but several aldermen halted the process so city officials could consider additional fees they may want to impose upon this and any future medical marijuana dispensary in Des Plaines.
If a medical marijuana dispensary were allowed to open in the city, the police department estimates that the cost of increased monitoring, patrol and law enforcement would likely total $15,000 per year, according to a memo from community and economic development director George Sakas to city manager Michael Bartholomew.
Following city staff members’ recommendation, the council unanimously approved an ordinance that would impose a $15,000 annual fee on any medical marijuana dispensary within the city.
The actual costs of any additional police services related to a medical marijuana dispensary would be examined every two years, and the annual impact fee adjusted based upon those calculations, Bartholomew said.
Sakas said that city employees had spoken with representatives from Prime Wellness of Illinois and that the company had agreed to pay the impact fee.
According to the ordinance, the collected impact fees would be deposited into the police department fund and used “for the purpose of defraying the cost of providing and performing police protection services attributable to the operation of medical cannabis organizations within the city.”
Ald. James Brookman, 5th, expressed full support for the fee.
Though other communities have considered impact fees of $100,000, Brookman said he believed the proposed ordinance reflected the true costs of increased law enforcement due to the operation of a medical marijuana dispensary.
“I think the approach we are taking is better,” he said, according to a live stream video posted on the city’s website. “I think it’s more reasonable.”
In addition to receiving city approval for a conditional-use permit, the proposed dispensary must also receive approval from the state before the facility is allowed to open for business.
Prime Wellness of Illinois is one of 12 companies competing for a license from the state to operate a medical marijuana dispensary in Elk Grove and Schaumburg townships. State rules dictate that only one dispensary may open for every two townships.
It is not yet known when the state will make a final decision on the matter.
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