McKenna Harford / mharford@skyhinews.com
Fraser is now home to the two dispensaries in Grand County open the latest, after the town board approved longer hours for Rocky Mountain Cannabis.
At its regular meeting Nov. 6, the manager of Rocky Mountain Cannabis requested the Fraser Town Board approve longer hours for the store, as well as permission to display a sign with the dispensary’s full name outside the store.
“We’ve had our customers express frustration that they are unable to stop by the store on their way home from work,” said Alejandro Stark, general manager for Rocky Mountain Cannabis. “This community is deeply ingrained with the hospitality industry and that means there are many hardworking individuals who get off work later than our current hours permit us to stay open.”
Rocky Mountain Cannabis, located at 228 Byers Avenue in the old Fraser location of Serene Wellness, asked for hours to be extended to 9 p.m. daily to help them compete with the other dispensary in town, Silver Stem.
The town board approved an extension to Silver Stem’s hours in April.
While the majority of the town board was supportive of lengthening the store’s hours, Trustees Katie Soles and Andy Miller felt the neighbors should be given the opportunity to comment before a vote was taken.
“I think we need to run it by the immediate neighbors,” Soles said.
Other trustees felt that would be asking too much since it wasn’t required by the ordinance, nor did the board require it when Silver Stem applied.
Rocky Mountain Cannabis also submitted signatures of support from neighboring homeowners and businesses with its request for longer hours.
“If it was a restaurant or a liquor store or a bar, (neighbors) wouldn’t have any say and they could be open until 2 a.m.,” Trustee Parnell Quinn said.
Ultimately, the board approved the hours with a 5-2 vote, with Miller and Soles dissenting.
Rocky Mountain Cannabis’s second request was to display a sign outside their store featuring the dispensary’s full name. Currently, the town sign code prohibits signage using the words marijuana or cannabis.
Because that request requires the board to consider amending the sign code, the board asked Rocky Mountain Cannabis to reschedule the discussion for another meeting.