Marijuana, apartment requests made to city

A trio of requests to the Henryetta Board of Adjustment were put on hold Thursday night and referred to the planning and zoning board.
The requests, two involving medical marijuana and the other changing a business site into multi-family dwellings, drew nearly 50 concerned businessmen and residents to the meeting at city hall.
Kent Taylor had requested the zoning variance at 408 Main Street to allow a medical marijuana grow facility to be in place. That building had been the former Taylor Drug Store. it is currently designated as a C-3 general commercial district.
Current zoning regulations restrict marijuana grow businesses only in a light industrial district.
Blake Frost was requesting a change in zoning to allow a medical marijuana dispensary to operate at 312 West Main. That same C-3 commercial zone applies to this property while city regulations restrict dispensaries to C-2 highway and commercial recreation districts.
The former Shurden Funeral Home, owned by Integrity Funeral Service at Fifth and Division has been undergoing renovation. Owners Wesley VanMeter and Jimmy Spurlock said they would like to turn the building into apartments.
The former funeral home is in a C-2 highway commercial zone. Apartments and multi-family dwellings are allowed only in R-2 residential districts.
“I don’t believe a variance is the tool or approach for the applicants,” said city attorney John Insabella.
He pointed out a variance would be called for if a business or person was dealing with a line changed for a building or a change in signage. “This is an entirely different issue.”
All three applicants said they would agree to go before the planning and zoning board or city council if Insabella thought that would be the best approach.