A medical marijuana dispensary has been proposed at the old fire station at the corner of Madrone and Arnold. This location is surrounded by residential neighborhoods including the 122-unit The Grove apartments with approximately 400 residents. If you do the math, this apartment complex houses at least 155 children about 61 feet away from the dispensary. The Sonoma County Cannabis Ordinances specify a minimum of 100 feet from a residential lot. In addition, there are 122 single-family residences across the street in the Rancho Madrone subdivision with about 50 children. A total of at least 200 children live within 600 ft. of this proposed business. And the Sonoma Unified School District busses pick up and drop off students on the sidewalk that borders this property.
We, the residents of Rancho Madrone and the surrounding area, believe this business is not compatible with our residential neighborhood and for the safety of our children we kindly request the applicant, Apothevert, to find a more suitable location among other commercial entities, not surrounded by residences, and a location with easy access and ample parking.
In addition to the unsuitable proximity to homes and children, and not having the required distance to a residential lot, we believe that the projected 150 customer visits per day, according to the proposal, will negatively impact the safety of an already busy intersection at Madrone and Arnold, particularly on weekends with the influx of wine tourists.
We are concerned that the projected 150 customers per day will find the 12 parking spaces insufficient, and that excess customers will park on Madrone, depriving apartment and subdivision residents much needed on-street parking, or Glenwood Drive, or park in the tiny adjacent lot of the Madrone Market, depriving that business of their customers.
We have confirmed that the owners of The Grove apartments and the owner of the Madrone Market do not want this marijuana dispensary in that location, either.
No one is disputing the legality of the use and sale of medical marijuana, just not in a residential neighborhood. We are convinced that it is in both the owner’s and the neighborhood’s best interest to find a more suitable location. We say, “No to neighborhood dispensaries.”
Please join us at the Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission meeting May 23, 6:30pm at the Sonoma Police Department, Community Room, 177 First Street West, to speak against this project in this location. Help us preserve our family neighborhood.
Paul & Liz Morrison
Dave & Pam Palmgren
Moriah & Conn Dunning
Judy Condon
Elias Casolla
Karla Noyes
Anyone concerned about the proliferation of the marijuana industry in neighborhoods should join Save Our Sonoma Neighborhoods. http://www.sosneighborhoods.com/
All dispensaries and cultivation should be located far from neighborhoods. Money isn’t everything.
Yes , everything should be located farther away from everything else .
the county code allows for a barrier such as the large road to satisfy the 100 feet separation. there are many examples of this satisfying the code for the permit. the county should not be picking winners and losers and should stick to application of the clear county code which allows the firehouse dispensary straight forward as it gets. these neighbors complain about everything and all they really care about is “their” parking paces which have been show at the hearing will not be affected at all. it is time to allow the firehouse dispensary and allow the citizens of sonoma the safe and regulated access that they overwhelmingly voted for.
the selfish neighbors amount to 5 families ONLY and have been spreading lies and treating this public process like it is their right to be rude and aggressive towards thievery friendly and professional women who are starting this firehouse dispensary. that group of women include a harvard MBA, a granddaughter of local glen ellen community leaders, and a 40 year experienced psychologist.
this is america and the rule of law is what matters. the county code should be applied fairly and expeditiously to allow the citizens of the sonoma valley to have the safe access the we have voted for. this is very straight forward and clear. 5 angry families CANNOT stop this progress for the rest of us.
the cannot bully the neighborhood anymore as they have always done since i lived here. they have to understand that the voters voted and they lost. five small nasty, rude families should not have this kind of power to impede our progress. the votes have been VERY clear. they lost. they cannot bully our neighborhoods with their lies and threats anymore.
i have been to the public hearings about these matters and i think the opposing families listed above SHOULD BE ASHAMED of themselves for how rude and aggressive they treat these fine ladies proposing this dispensary.
i am in FULL SUPPORT.
my neighbors and friends ALL WANT THIS TO HAPPEN SOON.
don’t let the vocal minority of self-centered neighbors stop california and sonoma county law. tell them to stuff it.
APPROVE THIS FIREHOUSE DISPENSARY NOW !!!
sonoma strong,
Crystal A.