Sand Springs City Council approves new dispensary, minimum wage increase for City jobs
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Samuel’s Jewelry is the planned site for a new medical marijuana dispensary.
The Sand Springs City Council approved a Specific Use Permit for a new medical marijuana dispensary at their last Monday evening meeting. Samuel Newport applied for the permit on behalf of Westside Wellness, which will be located in the Samuel’s Jewelry building at 1138 East Charles Page Boulevard. The building will likely be split in half with a new interior wall, and the two businesses will operate independently with separate entrances.
Councilman Phil Nollan posed the question “How much is enough for our little town, as far as the number of dispensaries?” Although many residents have voiced objections to the rising number of marijuana businesses in the town, the City actually has little ability to restrict them from opening.
“We’re limited to the SUP process,” said City Attorney David Weatherford. “So if the restriction deals with a valid concern about the impact on adjoining property or the impact on infrastructure, that’s something you could look at. The problem is, the Planning Commission looked at all that and didn’t impose any of that. You have a lot of freedom to do a lot of things, but you may be challenged on it someday by someone, and you have to be able to defend it. Why did we put that restriction on this business as opposed to someone else?”
“If we’re going to put that kind of restriction on one business, then we have to on another,” added Vice Mayor Patty Dixon. “I mean, maybe there’s too many glass shops for me, or too many mobile glass people for me, or too many pharmacies. If we start going there, then it’s going to be discriminatory and we just can’t do that.”
“I’m a proponent to let the market play out,” said Councilman Beau Wilson. “We saw the vape stores come in. They were strong and heavy. Now where are they? I think that this competition will weed out a lot of lesser competitors, so to speak.”
Councilman Nollan was also concerned about signage, and expressed a desire for Westside Wellness to be discreet with its branding. City Planner Brad Bates allayed that concern by pointing to zoning regulations that already limit all businesses according to the size of their building.
Ultimately Nollan moved to approve the SUP, and Council unanimously passed the measure.
Sand Springs Ward map.
In other news:
Council unanimously approved a resolution of Notice of Election for City Council members from Ward 5, Ward 6, and the At-Large position. Those seats are occupied by Wilson, Brian Jackson, and Mayor Jim Spoon, respectively. Wilson has occupied his seat since 2015, Jackson since 2009, and Spoon since 2015. Terms are three years, and councilmembers are non-partisan unpaid volunteers.
The filing period for Council will be from December 7th through December 9th, and declarations of candidacy must be filed at the City Clerk’s office at 100 East Broadway, in Room 200 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The primary election, if needed, will be held on February 9th. The general election, if needed, will be held on April 6th.
Council unanimously approved a minimum wage of $13.01 for benefit-eligible City jobs. The existing minimum wage was $10.40.
Council unanimously approved a $30,000 transfer of appropriations for the purchase of a new Animal Welfare vehicle. Those dollars were originally budgeted for new cat cages, but the shelter recently acquired new cages through a grant program, and ongoing issues with the existing vehicle have altered the department’s priorities.
Council unanimously approved a professional services agreement with Schuermann Enterprises at a cost of up to $59,780 to upgrade and automate systems at the Sand Springs Water Treatment Plant. Currently, the five water filter units at the plant each have their own flow meter, but the City plans to install a single combined meter that will help with better water quality and reduced chemical usage.
Council unanimously approved final acceptance of a wheelchair ramp installation project. The City recently awarded C&F Concrete a project installing 21 wheelchair ramps to sidewalks across the city, funded by a 2018 General Obligation Bond measure.
Council unanimously approved a resolution awarding a bid to Vexus Contracting in the amount of $94,000 for modernization of the elevator at the Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum. Vexus had the lowest of five bids.
Council unanimously voted to re-appoint Judy Treat, Michael Miller, and Steve Lane to serve additional three-year terms on the Sand Springs Economic Development Authority.
Council unanimously voted to appoint Sarah Tvzynka to serve an unexpired term to July 2021 on the Sand Springs Development Authority.
Council unanimously voted to approve an ordinance amending the zoning map for a property at 214 North Wilson. The vacant lot was previously zoned Residential, but was changed to Commercial Shopping. If a pending sale proceeds as planned, the property will be combined with an existing parking lot to the south, and a new laundromat will be constructed.
