15,000 sq ft :

US (CO): Aspen cannabis greenhouse near Basalt wins county approval

The Pitkin County Commissioners on Wednesday approved an application for a 25,000-square-foot marijuana greenhouse complex outside of Basalt that will supply the Silverpeak Apothecary, an Aspen-based medical marijuana dispensary. The commissioners gave applicant Jordan Lewis and his Cooper Mason Ventures permission to build about half of the greenhouse space they had originally requested. Lewis’ initial application was for 55,600 square feet of indoor growing area, and he later scaled it down to 37,500.

Based on figures that Lewis’ design team provided to the commissioners, the approved facility will accommodate around 1,800 fully grown pot plants, and perhaps more.

The permitted size of the greenhouses, Lewis said, makes it financially feasible to install all the necessary infrastructure, including heating, irrigation and landscaping features that are meant to help the buildings blend into the midvalley landscape. If all goes well, Lewis said, he hopes to come back to the county down the line for permission to install more growing space.

Lewis plans to build on a 4.7-acre site that neighbors the Roaring Fork Club and sits directly across Highway 82 from the homes and businesses of Holland Hills. The land is zoned for agricultural use and divided into 10-acre parcels, but it’s surrounded by numerous businesses, including a landscaping company, a rug showroom and a medical marijuana dispensary.

In a memo to the commissioners, county planner Mike Kraemer wrote that a greenhouse of 15,000 square feet would be more appropriate for the proposed site. That reduced size was based on concerns about scenic views from Highway 82 and an interpretation of the area’s 10-acre agricultural zoning, he said.

The greenhouse will be heated with natural gas

Source: aspendailynews.com

Publication date: Fri 30 Aug 2013