One application approved by China planners

by Mary Grow

China Planning Board members approved the only application on their July 8 agenda, partly because several board members considered it already approved six years ago.

The application was from Justin Rolfe, of Fairfield, to use half of the building at 360 Route 3 to dispense medical cannabis, as a licensed caregiver.

The other part of the building, which is owned by Clifford Glinko’s Waterville-based Glinjan, LLC, is a licensed medical cannabis growing facility. Rolfe said he has worked there for two years. He intends to buy his cannabis there, because, he said, it is a clean and tested product, grown organically without pesticides.

According to 2019 The Town Line reports, on Sept. 24 of that year planning board members unanimously approved Glinko’s application to open “a two-part marijuana business” in the existing building. Current board chairman Toni Wall called the building ‘the train shop,” because it was formerly the home of Maine-ly Trains, run by the late James Ferrone.

Glinko’s 2019 plan was to completely separate the two parts of the building, with no inside communication between them. One would be, and is, a medical cannabis growing space, not open to the public. The other side, where Rolfe will run his business, was then to be a retail store for “recreational marijuana accessories.”

Each business would have its own entrance. The only overlap, Rolfe told China planners, is that employees in the grow facility will use the restroom in the retail shop.

Rolfe’s application says he plans to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m, seven days a week. He plans no exterior changes to building or grounds except adding a sign, and does not expect significant traffic – two or three cars at a time at most, he estimated.

Board members voted 4-1, with Elaine Mather opposed, that they did not need to hold a public hearing on the application. Earlier hearings had attracted few or no residents; and adding Rolfe’s caregiver sales is essentially expanding an existing use.

Mather favored a hearing in case local people had changed their minds since the 2019 action.

After Rolfe’s permit was approved, Wall reminded him there is a 30-day period during which someone can appeal the decision.

In other business, a brief discussion of a draft cannabis ordinance (which would provide local regulation of medical cannabis businesses in town, but would not add recreational uses) led board members to question their involvement: perhaps the select board should be the regulatory body.

Codes Officer Nicholas French said there were currently no applications for a July 22 planning board meeting. Board members therefore canceled it; the next regular meeting will be at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 12.