A private security guard working at the Jefferson Park CTA Terminal, 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave., reportedly returned fire after a group of three people started harassing him and then fired read story
Alderman Arena to hold Dec. 11 community meeting on second medical marijuana dispensary proposal for Jefferson Park
by BRIAN NADIG
Alderman John Arena (45th) will hold a community meeting next week on a proposal to open a medical marijuana dispensary inside a former print shop at 4760 ½ N. Milwaukee Ave., just two doors from the site of another proposed dispensary.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Wilson Park fieldhouse, 4630 N. Milwaukee Ave. The applicant is Euflora Health Center LLC.
Arena has said that there is “zero chance” the state would issue licenses to two dispensaries in the same block.
The state plans to issue no more than two medical marijuana licenses in all of Jefferson Township, which includes the Northwest Side and extends as far east as Western Avenue and as far south as North Avenue. The state reportedly received six applications for dispensaries in the township.
In order to be eligible for a state license, an operator of a proposed a medical marijuana dispensary must obtain a special use from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Special uses are often required for taverns and other businesses which typically raise concerns among residents.
At its Nov. 21 meeting, the zoning board approved a special use request by Curative Health at 4758 N. Milwaukee Ave. At the same meeting the board deferred a hearing on Euflora’s request, which could be heard at the board’s meeting on Friday, Dec. 19.
Obtaining a special use is not a guarantee that an applicant will receive a state license, said Arena’s chief of staff Owen Brugh. The state is expected to start issuing licenses some time next year.
At the hearing Arena did not take a stance on Curative’s proposal. “We had some positive feedback, and we had some negative feedback, and all in all we decided to take no stance,” Brugh said. “The zoning board is an independent body. There is no aldermanic prerogative where if an alderman does not say ‘yes’ nothing happens.”
At a Nov. 3 community meeting on Curative’s proposal, Curative chief executive officer Nicholas Vita told residents that the dispensary’s interior would resemble a typical pharmacy and that the façade would be designed to blend in with the rest of the Jefferson Park shopping district. Some residents expressed concern that prescription holders might sell or share some of their leftover marijuana.
Under state law, prescription holders can receive up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks and can seek a waiver to receive additional amounts.
No Pop-Ups
Weekly Digital Edition
Read every story. Skip every pop-up.
Get the full weekly edition delivered to your inbox — no interruptions, no waiting. Just local news the way it was meant to be read.
Only $19.50/year — less than 38¢ a week
Subscribe Now
This is just part of today’s coverage. Get the full story - every article, every ad, every page. Subscribe now.
The Latest From Our Community
A man was stabbed in his hand at about 4:50 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10, on a CTA Blue Line train near the Harlem station, 5550 N. Harlem Ave., after a read story
by BRIAN NADIG 45th Ward Democratic Committeeperson Michael Rabbitt and his Dems 45 organization have endorsed Jefferson Park resident S Gronkiewicz-Doran in the ward’s aldermanic race, which will be held read story
by BRIAN NADIG A new business, possibly a daycare, is in the works for the former CVS Pharmacy at the southeast corner of Milwaukee and Lawrence avenues. The pharmacy closed read story
by BRIAN NADIG A possible suspect is in custody after gunfire was reported at or near the Jefferson Park CTA Terminal, 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave., at about 5:20 a.m. Saturday, read story
by BRIAN NADIG A luxury hotel and spa for cats is planned for a vacant one-story office building at 5510 W. Montrose Ave. in the Jefferson-Portage Park area. Local resident read story
Browse by Category
No Pop-Ups
Weekly Digital Edition
Read every story.
Skip every pop-up.
No pop-up ads — ever. Just stories, the way they were meant to be read
Full weekly edition delivered to your inbox every week — no waiting, no missing issues
Support local journalism and help keep our community connected
Only $19.50/year
That's less than 38¢ a week
Purchase Digital Subscription
Paypal
$19.50
/year
You can submit your payment via Paypal with a Credit Card. You DO NOT NEED TO HAVE A PAYPAL ACCOUNT.. Just click the “Paypal Subscribe” button below to iniate your secure payment! You will be directed to a Secure Paypal page in which you can pay with a Paypal account if you have one, or you can select "Pay with Debit or Credit Cardt" option below and process your payment via credit card.
Venmo
$19.50
/year
You can submit payment of $19.50 for a 1 year subscription to Nadig Newspapers' Venmo account using this link. Please include the email address in the comment/note section that you would like the digital subscription sent to.