Adams County received about 1,500 applications in less than three weeks from people interested in opening a marijuana business in unincorporated areas.
from Jan. 2 to Jan. 22, during which time the county took the names and contact numbers of all people looking to open a recreational marijuana store, grow house, testing facility or infused-product manufacturing facility.
At the 4 p.m. deadline, people were still lined up waiting to drop off their application.
The names of the first people allowed to apply will be randomly selected during a lottery drawing at 3 p.m. Jan. 27 at the Adams County Government Center, 4430 S. Adams County Parkway in Brighton.
The drawing will also stream live on the county’s YouTube channel.
Only 10 operations will be allowed to open this year to give staff time to test their regulations. Out of the pool of 1,500, the county will select three retail stores, three grow facilities, three infused-product manufacturing facilities and one testing facility.
The 10 selected applicants have six months after the drawing to get a state license, building permit and change-of-use permit for their business.
If a lottery winner doesn’t have all of that within six months, the county will call the next name that was pulled from the lottery, and that person would begin the process.
Both the cap of 10 businesses and the lottery system will be for this year. After that, the county may consider more stores and facilities as long as there is enough space for them.
Last year, Adams County in unincorporated parts of the county along with an additional on all retail sales.
The Board of County Commissioners and the county planning department have been busy formalizing a set of regulations and zoning requirements for marijuana operations. .
The code only governs the sale and manufacturing of recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana is still not allowed in unincorporated Adams County, although it is allowed in Northglenn and Commerce City.
Megan Mitchell: 303-954-2650, mmitchell@denverpost.com or twitter.com/Mmitchelldp
The post appeared first on .
