The Planning Commission voted to deny the needed permit to the owner of Meds Cafe, which has a dispensary in Rogers Township just outside Rogers City and planned to open a second shop in Alpena.

The proposed marijuana shop was intended to open in the former Northern Tool store.

A petition from residents who live in the adjacent neighborhood expressing opposition to that business was submitted to the commission, while other residents made public comment against the marijuana shop in person.

Commissioner Matt Wojda said several factors led the commission to deny the request. He said the proximity of the store to a residential neighborhood was one, and an increase in traffic at a problematic intersection — at Ripley Boulevard and Campbell Street — was another.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Linda Currier paints a portion of the entranceway of Neighborhood Provisions on Thursday. The new marijuana shop was granted a special-use permit which will allow it to open in April. Another marijuana business, Meds Cafe, was denied the needed permit.

“There were several residential properties that butt up right against the property, and we believed it would impact the adjacent properties,” Wojda said. “Plus, that is a tricky intersection right there, with a turn that has a weird angle, so we were worried that, with an increase in traffic, potentially, it could become more dangerous and we were worried about accidents.”

Meds Cafe CEO Josh Kovert said the proposed marijuana shop would have had five local owners and a considerable amount of money has already been pumped into the building to get it ready to comply with the state’s regulations. He said the commission’s action shocked him and everyone involved. Kovert said the direction forward is unknown right now.

“We’re disappointed because we were excited to be a part of the Alpena community,” he said. “We’ll take some time to digest this and reevaluate on what we can do to still become a part of it.”

The owners of Neighborhood Provisions were granted their special-use permit during the meeting. The remodeling of the former Frank’s Key and Lock Shop on Washington Avenue is nearly complete and the store could be open in a month or so.

Neighborhood Provisions owner Kevin Currier, said he is pleased the planning commission approved the needed permit and now his focus is on getting the store open and its product available to the public.

“We here at Neighborhood Provisions are thrilled and privileged that the City of Alpena approved our special land use permit. It moves us and the city forward in providing safe, accessible, and affordable medical and adult use cannabis to our community here in Alpena as well as the rest of northern Michigan,” Currier said. “With the licensing process wrapping up and final touches going on the building, we look forward to sharing our grand opening and other special celebrations in the month of April.”

The road for a marijuana shop opening in Alpena has been a long one.

The city opted out of Proposal No. 1, which legalized the use of adult-use marijuana and the sale of it. Local governments were allowed to opt out and deny marijuana businesses to operate.

In early 2020, the Alpena Municipal Council decided to allow medical marijuana businesses in the city and selected a pair of companies to open – The Green Buddha and Lume Cannabis Company. The city lifted its two-store cap for medical marijuana and Neighborhood Provisions was added to the mix.

Last year, the council voted to allow recreational marijuana to be sold, which increased interest, including that of Meds Cafe and other developers who expressed interest in the marijuana industry.

Alpena Director of Planning, Development, and Zoning Montiel Birmingham said Green Buddha has since had a change of heart and no longer intends to open a shop in Alpena and Lume hasn’t yet submitted an application.