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SYCAMORE – A marijuana craft grower facility could be coming to Sycamore, as the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission will consider a request Monday to introduce a new cannabis use category to the city’s unified development ordinance.
Chris Mayer and Arney Silvestri of 421 California Partners, LLC recently acquired a craft grower license from Illinois, according to city documents. Now 421 California Partners LLC is asking Sycamore to change its city code to allow a cannabis craft grower facility to operate in town.
According to city documents, the intent behind changing city codes regarding cannabis uses is to realign the city with Illinois regulations that have changed since Sycamore City Council first approved medical cannabis uses in 2014.
The proposed changes would redefine how a marijuana-dispensing organization is defined by the city, documents show. The changes, if approved, also would create definitions for cannabis business establishments, craft grower facilities, cultivation centers, infuser organizations, processing organizations and transporting organizations.
According to city documents, a cannabis craft grower facility – what Mayer and Silvestri are seeking to establish at 421 N. California St. – would be required to be located a minimum of 1,500 feet from the property line of any other cannabis craft grower facility or cultivation center.
In Illinois, a craft grower can have up to 5,000 square feet of space specifically for growing marijuana plants, but the overall facility can be larger. The Illinois Department of Agriculture granted additional grow space up to 14,000 square feet for craft growers through annual increases.
Mayer and Silvestri are requesting a special use permit to operate a cannabis craft grower facility in a 25,000-square-foot building in BCM Industrial Park at 421 N. California St. City documents show the marijuana product would be grown indoors before being packaged and sold to dispensaries in accordance with the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.
According to city documents, no one will be allowed to smoke, inhale or consume marijuana on the property of a marijuana business establishment in Sycamore. The business also would not be allowed to operate with a drive-thru service, or be permitted within a residential area.
Under the proposed changes to Sycamore’s Special Use permit, cannabis cultivation centers would have to be located a minimum of 250 feet from the property line of any pre-existing public or private preschool, elementary or secondary school, day care center, day care home, group day care home or part-day childcare facility, documents show.
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A cannabis dispensary would have the most restrictions of the four kinds of cannabis businesses referenced in the proposed ordinance change. A dispensary, documents show, would be required to be located a minimum of 1,000 feet from any school or childcare facility hosting minors, and 1,500 feet from any other cannabis dispensary. A dispensary would only be allowed to operate between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m and would require a special use permit.
The DeKalb City Council recently approved its first recreational marijuana dispensary set to go in downtown DeKalb. The dispensary will be preliminary women-led and is set to open by Corn Fest this year. The recreational shop is the first of its kind to set up in DeKalb County.
According to city documents, a fourth restriction would control how many dispensaries operate in Sycamore, regardless of where the retail business is placed: For every 9,000 residents in the city’s population, one dispensary would be allowed. In 2021, Sycamore’s population was 18,580, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
On Monday, April 10 the Sycamore Planning and Zoning Commission will decide whether to recommend Sycamore City Council approve the ordinance changes and special permit request.