Jackson County, Ore. — A dispensary in Jackson County is currently operating without a necessary land use permit and now they’re paying for it.
On Tuesday, Jackson County Code Enforcement officials gave Pharm to Table a $600 citation. Pharm to Table is a medical marijuana dispensary located in the 3500 block of South Pacific Highway.
“They issued us a $600 citation a few days ago for being out of compliance for their land use permits that they’re in the process of adopting,” said Jason Rott, the Owner and Administrator of Pharm to Table.
Kelly Madding, the Jackson County Development Services Director, said the citation was issued because the dispensary doesn’t have the land use permit that’s needed to operate lawfully.
In addition, at this point dispensaries haven’t been given the green light yet in Jackson County.
“Jackson County’s ordinance to allow medical marijuana facilities does not take effect until July 26th,” said Madding.
Until then, if Pharm to Table stays open, Madding said the county will continue to cite the business $200 for every day they’re open.
“Ideally they would cease to operate but if they don’t, what will happen is we have the ability to cite them up to $200 a day, no more than $10,000,” explained Madding.
Rott said he intends to keep his business open until he can apply for a permit through the county later this month. He said he assumed the county would be ready to allow dispensaries after May 1st. That’s the date local governments’ bans on dispensaries in the state expired. However when that date came and went and the county still had yet to finalize their plans, Rott took the plunge.
“We did take that risk once we got our state license to go ahead and open up,” said Rott.
Rott said the decision to open without the county land use permit was a business decision. However now, he said his decision to stay open is based largely on his medical marijuana patients who rely on the dispensary for their medicine. Rott also wants to keep his workers employed. But staying open will likely cost him thousands of dollars.
“It is the cost of doing business,” Rott said.
Rott has already paid for the $600 citation issued this week.
The fines will stop once Rott submits an application to get a permit after Jackson County’s ordinance takes effect.
“We’ll hopefully be ready to go and get that land use permit that we need,” Rott said.
Rott has hired land use consultants and said they are trying to rectify the situation.
He said he’s working closely with the county to become compliant.
Jackson County’s land use permit process
Starting Monday, July 27th people will be able to apply for permits to open dispensaries in Jackson County.
It will cost $3,865 to get the proper, Type 3, land use permit.
County officials said the application process, from start to finish will likely take just under three months to complete. Though it’s possible if a dispensary is denied a permit, there could be appeals.
People can begin applying at 10 South Oakdale when doors open at 8 o’clock in the morning on July 27th.
Madding said she expects there will probably be a line.
According to Madding, Jackson County’s ordinance include the following rules:
– Medical marijuana dispensaries can’t be any close than a half mile to each other.
– Dispensaries cannot be within a mile of the VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC) in White City.
– They can be no less than a thousand feet from a school.
– Medical marijuana dispensaries can also be no less than 250 feet from a park.
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