Winter Park could see marijuana dispensaries in town as early as 2022 after the town council approved retail and medical marijuana sales, as well as medical marijuana delivery services.
On Tuesday, the town council OK’d a set of ordinances regulating marijuana sales and outlining the licensing process and fees. Winter Park limited the number dispensaries to three — two in the downtown area and another in Old Town.
Winter Park will use a two-phase lottery system to decide who will get the three licenses being made available. The licenses will be valid for one year with the ability to renew annually. That process will likely start near the end of August with 60 days for businesses to apply for phase one.
The first phase will determine eligibility of the applicants and the second phase will be a lottery for the three licenses.
“It probably won’t be until early 2022 before we have someone ready to go and open operations,” Town Clerk Dani Jardee said.
Dispensaries will be allowed to operate 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, limited to 3,000 square feet in size and required to exist at least 500 feet from any other dispensary. The town also approved medical marijuana delivery to private residences throughout Grand County.
The ordinance also adopts a 5% special sales tax on marijuana sales with revenue to be split between local mental health services and the town’s general fund.
Fees for the businesses include a $2,000 annual operating fee, $1,750 for phase one applications, $2,000 for phase two applications, $1,500 for annual license renewals and $1,000 for a medical delivery license.
Additionally, there will be $1,000 fees for location or ownership changes, a $500 fee for late renewal applications, as well as fees for personnel changes and modifications to the premises.
In other business:
• Council approved an amendment to a purchase agreement for two buses to pay for the buses to have voice announcement systems installed.
• A minor subdivision plat for the Roam development passed. The plat includes four single family homes at the corner of Roam Way and Beaver Lodge Road, ranging in size from 4,994 square feet to 6,229 square feet.
• Council approved a resolution finding the four acre tract on US Highway 40 next to the Beaver Village Condos, known as the Rogers Property, meets the requirements for annexation into the town.
• Priorities for the 2021-22 council were approved, with the top three being advancing housing projects, building a year-round economy and improving infrastructure.
• An amendment to the town building code allowing more than one extension on a building permit passed.
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