KINGWOOD — Preston commissioners support implementation of the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act and urge the Preston Health Department to do the same.
Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to send a letter to the director of the State Office of Medical Cannabis.
It says the commission voted “to support implementation of the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act, allowing the West Virginia DHHR Bureau for Public Health to issue medical cannabis grower, processor and dispensary permits within Preston County.”
The action is required by State Code 16A-6-13, passed by the legislature in 2017 as Senate Bill 386, the letter says. The legislation requires the approval of the county commission and county board of health for permits to be issued within a county.
In a letter to Preston County Health Department Director V.J. Davis, the commission asks the health department to provide the state with a written statement approving medical cannabis growers, processors and dispensaries to be located and operate in Preston County.
“We had a couple of people come in and get zoning letters,” County Administrator Kathy Mace said. She did not know if those people pursued applications at the state level.
The businesses seeking zoning letters from the county were All Farms LLC, of Scotch Hill Road, Thornton, and TNU Properties LLC, of Stemple Ridge Road, Aurora.
Tuesday was the deadline for applications to the state to operate a medical cannabis grower, processor or dispensary. The Office of Medical Cannabis said Wednesday it is still compiling information on the applications and didn’t have specifics at that time on how many, if any, applications were made for Preston County..
Davis said the board of health will address the matter at its regular 7 p.m. March 12 meeting, unless the state asks for an answer sooner.
“I don’t foresee the letter being a problem,” he said.
He said area boards of health believe their only part in the application process is to determine if the location would present a public health hazard. For the most part, that will mean whether it has access to an adequate sewage system for bathrooms.
“That’s all we would require from any other warehouse” or similar business, he noted.
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