WP holds special meeting about dispensary

The Town of Winter Park held a special meeting on Thursday, July 28 to discuss the letter of objection they will send to the Grand County Board of Commissioners about the proposal for a marijuana dispensary. Serene Wellness LLC is seeking to open a dispensary in the same building as the Valley Hi Motel. The application has sparked opposition from citizens, the town counsel and Winter Park Resort. Serene Wellness currently has locations in Fraser and Empire.

The special meeting was to make sure all members of the board agreed on the wording of the letter to the commissioners, and to officially vote on the decision to send the letter. In 2010 the Winter Park Town Council enacted a prohibition on any medical marijuana operations, and a prohibition on any retail operations in 2013. Winter Park, through public hearings and testimony, concluded that marijuana operations are not in the best interest of the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens and guests to the town. There is debate on whether the proposed location is technically within the town limits of Winter Park, or if it is considered unincorporated Grand County. The dispute comes from a surveying error of the Winter Park official boundaries when it was incorporated in 1978, according to the original letter to the commissioners introduced at the planning commission meeting on July 26.