Terrapin Participates in Woodward Township Conditional Use Hearing for First PA Medical Marijuana Dispensary
By Christopher Miller
WOODWARD TOWNSHIP – Woodward Township Supervisors and the public heard from representatives of Terrapin Tuesday night during the Conditional Use Meeting.
In short, Terrapin Investment Fund I is seeking conditional use approval to refurbish an old bank in Woodward Township into their first medical marijuana dispensary in Pennsylvania.
During the hearing, supervisors heard from Attorney Zachary R. Morano with Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell, & Lupin, PC of Lansdale, PA, representing Terrapin Investment Fund I. Terrapin is seeking conditional use approval to permit a medical marijuana dispensary at 209 Woodward Avenue in Dunnstown, a former M&T Bank location.
Conditional use can only be approved by the supervisors who have a 45-day period to render a decision to either offer full approval or the project, deny the project, or offer approval with certain conditions to be met.
The property is compliant with all zoning regulations and requires no land development approval, and under the terms of the township zoning ordinance, this facility is permitted by conditional use approval.
Sean Policelli, an engineer and Senior Project Manager with Gilmore & Associates, Inc. of Center Valley, PA was available to discuss the potential project with the township.
“There is more than sufficient parking spaces, the applicant does not need any additional zoning approval, and the dispensary meets the 1,000 foot buffer zone from any school or daycare to operate in this space,” Policelli said. “This is for retail use in a commercial zone, and Terrapin will only be using the existing footprint, signage already in place, lighting, and remodeling the interior.”
Peter Marcus, VP of Communications for Terrapin in Boulder, Colorado, was also present Monday night to address the public and township supervisors.
“Terrapin is one of the first medical and retail cannabis operations in the world being a producer and a retailer,” he stated. “We have been in PA for seven years, and in business for 15 years total operating in five states, but we are solely focused in PA right now,” Peter said. “We provide a wide range of medical cannabis services as both a producer and a retailer.”
Currently, Terrapin operates nine dispensaries between Colorado and Missouri.
“We selected 209 Woodward Avenue because it is the most ideal location for zoning, off of PA-150 with visibility, ample parking, easy access for patients with disabilities, and this area has been deemed an underserved area of the medical cannabis program by the state Department of Health,” Peter said.
Currently, there are six dispensaries in a 60-mile radius, all of which are between 30 and 40 miles away, and more than 100 miles away to the north and west, with 250,000 people in this region with only two dispensaries serving patients, and is centrally located only two miles from PA-220 and 10 miles from I-80.
“This location provides a drive through for those who cannot get in and out of a car easily, wheelchair access, and this location meets the merits for state requirements for the buffer zone from schools and daycares,” Peter added.
According to Peter, all marketing will only use the Terrapin name, no cannabis flowers or marijuana leaves.
Peter also cited a study that was completed by the University of Wisconsin which showed that the value of properties located within 0.10 miles of a dispensary had increased by 8.4% in Colorado.
Peter went on to explain that a dispensary runs much like a pharmacy with bank-level restricted security: the patient enters a product-less lobby and checks in at reception which verifies their registration in the program and age, then they are escorted to the sales floor which is a restricted access area with electronic key credentials for employees who go through rigorous security checkpoints to receive. Once inside they speak with a wellness specialist to determine what their needs are, and a pharmacy consult if necessary, then they are escorted out the door, all while under the keen eye of a full-time security guard. No on-site consumption is allowed.
The location would be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, expecting about 10 people or under per hour, and maybe 50 transactions a day.
Through the drive through the patient would experience the same level of security and routine checks as if they were in the building.
The products sold would be medical products and accessories which are regulated by the state Department of Health including the name, labeling, and posting of lab testing results on the packaging.
“Pennsylvania has the most stringent requirements in the country, we are only allowed to sell cannabis flour, vape oil, lozenges, concentrates, salves, and creams,” Peter explained. “Only customers with a prescription who are previously approved by the state and exist in the Department of Health system, age-verified, are allowed in the dispensary. Those patients under age 18 must be accompanied with a parent or caregiver.”
The amount of security involved surpasses that of most banks.
“The state prescribes that we have so many cameras, silent alarms, motion detectors, audible alarms, back-up systems, auxiliary power, smoke and fire alarms, and the ability to store images for long periods of time,” Peter explained.
Local private security firm VetForce was Terrapin’s first client to work security for them and “they go above and beyond what the state requires in terms of security,” Peter said. “There is always someone watching, 24/7 and we have had no issues in our seven years here in Pennsylvania.”
Product delivery is also handled by VetForce keeping and maintaining manifest records, delivery, unloading product, checking and cross-checking inventory, movement into secure storage, tracking, and inventory control.
Terrapin has received letters of support for what they do from the Clinton County Economic Partnership, VetForce, AJ Foundation, and Horses of Hope. They have also heard from local organizations the Keystone Central Foundation, local business owner Jen Coleman who owns Haven Spa, and the New Love Center food pantry.
As well, they have heard from moms with kids who have autism, veterans with PTSD, seniors treating pain, sleep issues, cancer patients, people with autoimmune disorders, and people suffering from neurological conditions.
Terrapin also provides a paid time off policy for their employees to volunteer two hours a month with local non-profit organizations in their community.
“We will comply with all laws, our entire business model relies on that,” Peter said. “If we mess up, we lose our license and trust me – we will comply with every facet of the law.”
Jeff Fulmer of Fulmer’s Personal Care Home, located next door to the proposed dispensary, spoke to the supervisors about his concerns with the facility being so close to the personal care home.
“We are located right next to the proposed site and we have lots of residents at our place that have cognitive issues, mobility issues, and I understand that this can have medical benefits, but also risks and concerns,” he started. “There is a daycare just barely outside of the 1,000 foot buffer zone, and there have been studies of impaired drivers getting material and report driving while high from it, we have residents who walk across the street daily for a meal at The Second Cup restaurant, and maybe Terrapin could help facilitate putting a crosswalk in, but I want to know what their definition of retail is, there could be some stipulations of what retail is supposed to look like in the township. Have you ever received any negative feedback from regulators or inspectors?”
Peter Marcus then responded that Terrapin waited for the law to change, and that the state only allowed them to open dispensaries this year, and that their production facility has even more requirements, and inspectors have made recommendations but never issued a violation or feedback that could not be rectified by Terrapin.
Woodward resident Heather Macfie brought up the notion that the supervisors are the ones who decide if a proposed use can be allowed.
“You can attach conditions to act as safeguards against potential negative impacts of this in the community,” she said. “Most larger cities are more equipped to handle things like this and have zoning policies that account for everything related to all potential conditional uses, but here in Woodward Township we like being agricultural and woodlands, we have a small commercial area and are not equipped to handle conditional uses like what they are proposing.”
Potential neighbor William Hagaman who lives across the street from the site described his background and support for the project.
“I grew up in a conservative home where all pot was bad pot,” he said. “I was injured in the military in 1992 in Iraq and I have been on 100 medications for my pain in the past, I was most recently on 21 different medications and now I am only using medical marijuana and it changed my life…the biggest nuisance to that area of their proposed site is the ATM over there and traffic backing up into 150 often…I couldn’t be happier for you to come here and I hope you do.”
Clinton County Economic Partnership CEO Mike Flangan was not present at the hearing, but sent his letter of support for the proposal.
“Terrapin has always proved themselves in earning and maintaining the community’s trust and have served as stewards for the important work that they do…we are confident that they will be an outstanding addition to Woodward Township and look forward to continuing our relationship with them,” excerpts of his letter said.
In a closing statement, Peter Marcus, speaking for Terrapin, said that they are sympathetic to the crosswalk situation for Fulmer’s Personal Care Home and their residents, and “would be more than happy to speak with lawmakers in Harrisburg about getting something done about it.”
They also added that if the conditional use is granted, they would be hiring local builders, employees, and that this location “is a perfect location for our needs, and gives us the potential to serve more patients and continue what we do with trust and honor.”
Woodward Township Supervisors have 45 days to issue an approval, denial, or approval with conditions.
