A recreational marijuana shop may be allowed to open in the same building housing the local Alcoholics Anonymous Chapter after a hearing of the Local Licensing Authority on Tuesday.
The conflict between opening Telluride Bud Co. near the AA chapter on North Main Avenue and 35th Street has raised questions for some of the neighbors.
“That’s really, kind of, setting the poor people up for failure,” said Teresa Lundgren, a registered dietitian nutritionist and nearby property owner.
While working in various hospitals in the Denver area, she observed many people struggle with addiction to alcohol and other substances.
“Here they are leaving AA with a higher order to get themselves off of it, and ...they are exposed to this right in their face.”
In correspondence between a city planner and the city attorney, the issue also was raised.
“Dispensaries are required to be 1,000 feet from addiction-recovery facilities. I am curious whether the AA use qualifies as such a facility under our regulations or state statutes,” Phillip Supino, a city planner asked the attorney.
However, the AA chapter does not qualify as an addiction-recovery facility because it does not provide overnight treatment, City Attorney Dirk Nelson wrote.
The AA office had no comment on the issue.
The owner of Telluride Bud Co., Gary Davis, said his staff would watch for those people who may be coming from an AA meeting, but they could not deny service to them based on suspicions.
“We don’t really want to do business with people at the AA,” he said.
In general, he said his shops serve an older and professional clientele, and he has dealt with skepticism before and neighbors’ concerns are generally allayed.
In addition to worries about the AA chapter, neighbors voiced concerns about increased crime and the business’ proximity to homes.
However, now that the business has been granted a land-use permit, the licensing board cannot deny a permit based on those concerns.
“Once the city planners say: It’s OK to do it. There’s nothing you can do about it,” said Cindy Wright who lives near the proposed marijuana facility.
The public hearing on Telluride Bud Co. will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
