Mokena trustees on Monday cleared the final hurdle for a medical marijuana shop in the Mokena Crossings Business Park by unanimously approving a special-use zoning permit.
“It wasn’t something that was done frivolously by this village,” Mayor Frank Fleischer said.
Northbrook-based Greenhouse Group plans to convert a warehouse it previously purchased, 9930 W. 190th St., into the store, according to owner Matthew Darin. The company received a state license in February for the dispensary under Illinois’ medical marijuana law.
“We’ll be ready before the (marijuana) cultivators are available,” Darin said, anticipating that the dispensary will open in the fall.
Under Illinois’ pilot program for medical pot, 21 cultivation centers and 60 dispensaries will be located throughout the state.
Mokena requires a special-use permit for such a shop, limiting its sales to medical marijuana. The dispensary would never be allowed to sell recreational marijuana, regardless of potential future state laws, said Alan Zordan, Mokena’s director of economic and community development.
Police Chief Steve Vaccaro called the Greenhouse Group’s security plan at the store “very extensive” with “layers of security.” The medical marijuana products will be delivered by unmarked vehicles into a secure garage.
Darin told the Village Board that before patients can enter the dispensary, they will be pre-screened to ensure that they are allowed to legally purchase the drug.
He said patients must first go through a lengthy, expensive process to receive an Illinois Medical Cannabis Registry Identification Card. Also, the Greenhouse Group will be linked with other dispensary data systems so each can determine if a patient has purchased their maximum allowable quantity per month.
“I’m impressed with their (security) plan,” Vaccaro said.
“It’s very similar to bringing a pharmacy to your community,” Trustee Joseph Siwinski said.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
