Marijuana shops and more: What's on tap for Port Huron planning commissioners?
Jackie Smith
Proposals for marijuana businesses, vacation rentals downtown, and a neighborhood coffee and slider joint are slated to go before Port Huron planning commissioners on Tuesday.
The packed agenda for the meeting, slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Municipal Office Center, 100 McMorran Blvd., will start with public hearings for three separate special use permit requests to separate pot shop operators.
Mark Aubrey, the agent for Exhibit Cannabis Co LLC, is asking for two of them to open both a marijuana retail store and consumption lounge at 1033 River St., while Ox Tail Inc. is seeing one for its own retail front at 1600 Pine Grove Ave.
Both were among the dozens of applicants but just seven entities to be awarded two dozen medical and recreational licenses in early 2021 before a massive host of lawsuits against the city stalled the process for two years.
Meanwhile, developer Larry Jones is also seeking a special use permit to operate some of the residential units in the soon-to-be-completed Wrigley Center, 318 Grand River Ave., as short-term rentals, similar to Airbnb or on Vrbo.
And local entrepreneur Dale Moses is asking for a building at 1340 Water St. to be rezoned so he can continue his Whiskey Coffee Company, which began without the city’s OK earlier this year.
Marijuana businesses propose projects on city's north side
A St. Clair County Circuit Court ruling in January rejected complaints contesting the scoring process prescribed to the city to decide who’d get the initial marijuana licenses.
Now, some entities have carried their claims to the Michigan Court of Appeals, where it’s expected to continue over the next few months after complaints were ordered to be consolidated in February.
Al Francis, the city’s attorney covering marijuana litigation, said any of the original licensees can move forward with the development process, but that it’s at their own risk.
“They’re all aware of the appeal and that, theoretically, (St. Clair County) Judge (Cynthia) Lane could get reversed and that may impact their own licenses,” he said.
Ox Tail Inc. is tapping the Ernest Camera Shoppe on Pine Grove for its pot business, while Aubrey has looked at a small office building on the Black River and west of 10th Street.
Chris Aiello, an Ox Tail partner, has said previously being on a main strip with lots of parking and space to do curbside sales was originally part of what made their location attractive. Architect Bill Vogan is their project’s special use applicant with plans showing the circular structure dubbed “Moses Roses.”
Aubrey’s plans show a conversion of the riverfront building with first-floor retail and an upstairs office.
Both need special approvals in an area zoned for general business.
More vacation rentals downtown?
Jones’ request, according to his special use application, is technically for all 36 units.
But the developer said only a small number would be used as such at a time. As of Thursday, he said they have 30 of the units leased out.
“Instead of going in front of (planning commissioners) to do two here and then do one over there and one over there, it was just the whole 36,” Jones said. “Our intention is not to turn it into an Airbnb or a hotel. We have two units that we want to save for, say, bridal parties or the bands (who’ll play the Wrigley). Things like that.”
The Wrigley Center is located in the city’s central business district.
Jones’ short-term rental push would follow those OK’d nearby for developer Gene Harrison, who’d Airbnb plans for his project on East Quay Street.
Neighborhood coffee joint needs rezoning
Moses is requesting the small building at 1340 Water St., which is at the intersection with 14th Street at the top of the Harrison Point, to be reset as a B-zone as a neighborhood business. Currently, it’s zoned for single- and two-family homes.
Moses previously received special use permission last October to operate an office and storage for another business at that site. However, he later told the Times Herald he reacted to neighborhood support in deciding to open the Whiskey Coffee setup, also capitalizing on his own passion to serve good beverages, as well as make other food, such as sliders, for customers.
He’d temporarily shut down the business earlier in March after a temporary license from the county health department expired.
But according to his social media, he appears to have since returned to some operations.
For more on planning commission items, visit http://porthuroncitymi.iqm2.com/Citizens/calendar.aspx.
Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.