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Medford, Ore. — Who’s first depends on who you ask.
“I have been waiting in this line since 5 A.M.this morning,” says Noah Soule from Rogue Valley Remediesin Phoenix.
“A Pharm to Table representative has been here at some point since Friday,” says Meghan Lanier.
The order in line may sound petty, but for these medical marijuana dispensary owners, Kelly Madding says it best.
“It matters who’s first.”
A line formed outsideMadding’s office, the Director of Development Services for Jackson County.
“We have not ever had anything like this to the best of my knowledge,” Madding explains.
In all, four medicalmarijuana dispensary owners waited to turn in a type three pre-application to operate a medical marijuana dispensary within the county.
Soule says, “Because it is first come first served, whoever gets in first wins. One of these facilities is going to lose out.”
Soule claimed to be first in line and says it’s the county’s limitations that have made the application process a competition.
“Our county is a little bit unique in the sense that we have these long linear commercial roads,” explains Madding.
Shesays that’s why commissioners decided on a half mile buffer zone between dispensaries instead of the State’s 1,000 foot separation.
Soule says he’s in a race with Pharm to Table, a dispensary that has been operating without a county permit and has received code violations.
Pharm to Table representative Lanier says, “This application is to remedy that code violation and to be compliant with the county.”
The business also says they were first in line. Something that had to be proved by checking security cameras.
According to Madding, determining order was just the first step. Now pre-application conferences will be scheduled. Applications will then be accepted along with a $3,000fee.
Even then it could be awhile before we see dispensaries operating legally in the county asappeals can be made for approved applications.
“I anticipate that there may be some appeals,” predicts Madding.
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