A lot of people around North Escondido may be blowing smoke, but soon might be able to do it in the medical marijuana manner with a pot dispensary at 8530 Nelson Way, Escondido 92026.
A new medical marijuana store apparently is just one San Diego Sheriff’s Office approval away from being allowed to open.
Somehow, proprietors of the newly created, and name not yet disclosed, marijuana collective got the necessary San Diego County building and use permits for a single-family, 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2,269-square-foot house built in 1979 on 2.5 acres.
The projected collective sits just south of Champagne Lakes RV Resort, east of Old Highway 395 and Interstate 15 in a quiet rural area near Valley Center.
Del Mar medical marijuana collective since closed by city officials.
While Escondido officials have taken a hard line against medical marijuana stores, and have none in the city limits as a result, this area with an Escondido postal address lies in unincorporated San Diego County.
Therein lies the rub. The property is in an area zoned M52, allowing limited impact industrial uses. The permit issued by county regulators allows for the conversion of the single-family home to a medical marijuana facility. Operators may add or remove partitions for an office space, install shatter-proof window glass, convert kitchens, lobbies and restrooms and add steel doors.
The new facility compliant with 5-year-old county medical marijuana facility ordinances was first brought to public attention last week by Oliver Smith, chairman of the advisory-only Valley Center Community Planning Group. Smith said the issue needed publicizing, but admitted his group couldn’t do anything about the new medical pot store.
One more large approval is needed. The facility must be approved through the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office License & Criminal Registration Division. Furthermore, according to Vince Nicoletti, County of San Diego Planning & Development Services Building Division chief, putting in any additional structures would require new county permits.
While the new medical collective effort just came to public light, county officials were holding their collective breaths.
“We understand this type of operation can be sensitive to a community,” Nicoletti was quoted as saying.
More from the Del Mar pot shop.
