SAFFORD — The Graham County Planning and Zoning Commission came out against a proposed indoor grow of medical-grade cannabis in Bonita.
The commission voted 5-1 Wednesday to send to the Graham County Board of Supervisors a recommendation to reject a re-zoning application by Bayacan.
“I think we’re going to regroup as a team,” said Heather Dukes, attorney for Bayacan. “I’m going to evaluate some of the neighbors’ concerns, because that is first and foremost. We really do want to be good community members and provide solutions to various concerns. If there’s more information we can share between now and Monday, we will certainly do so. And just keep re-evaluating how we can address concerns and really convey all the benefits that are associated with this project. We need to do a better job of conveying those benefits.”
Bayacan is seeking a change from general land use (A zoning), under which the NatureSweet greenhouse site currently operates, to unlimited manufacturing land use (M-X), in order to purchase the Site 6 greenhouses from NatureSweet for an indoor medical-grade cannabis grow. Bayacan also has an option to purchase Site 5, so re-zoning for both sets of greenhouses is being sought.
The Planning and Zoning Commission meeting went nearly three hours Wednesday, with 10 speakers — all from Bonita — speaking against the proposed re-zoning and four speaking in favor. Opposition centered on possible odor, impact to traffic and moral opposition to the use of marijuana.
“If you do a quick search on marijuana growing facilities and odor, you will quickly find out it is a huge issue,” said Wendy McComber, whose family owns a thoroughbred horse breeding farm near the NatureSweet greenhouses. “It doesn’t matter if it’s an indoor grow or an outdoor grow; marijuana growing byproducts produce the dead skunk odor.”
It was also suggested by one speaker that chemicals in the odor could impact the ability of animals to successfully breed; however, the speaker admitted there have been no studies showing that to be the case.
Dukes said Bayacan has agreed to install ventilation scrubbers, to reduce any smell emanating from the facility.
If the re-zoning is approved, Bayacan estimates the medical-grade cannabis grow Site 6 would create 457 new jobs within the first six years of operation, with an estimated economic impact of $8.2 million to the county. If Site 5 is also purchased and activated, each of those numbers would double.
Meanwhile, NatureSweet has stated it would use the funds from the sale of Sites 5 and 6 to covert Sites 1 and 2 into agricultural research and development facilities, partnering with Eastern Arizona College and the land grant colleges and universities of Arizona and New Mexico.
However, should the re-zoning be rejected, NatureSweet said it would decommission the Bonita facility, resulting in about 250 workers losing their jobs. Options would then include dismantling the greenhouses — which would reduce taxes paid to Graham County from about $1.3 million per year to an estimated $4,000 — or donate the greenhouses and land to an educational institution, in which case no taxes would be collected.
The Planning and Zoning’s recommendation now goes to the Graham County Board of Supervisors, who will take final action on the re-zoning application during the board’s regular meeting Monday, June 21, at 8 a.m., at the General Services Building in Safford.
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