Lemoore council members to consider cannabis cultivation facility at its regular Tuesday meeting

According to the proposed project development agreement (PDA), the developer (Wellsona) proposes to operate the cannabis cultivation facility on the 14 acres. Additionally, the landowner in entering escrow to purchase an additional 4.86 acres on W. Iona Ave., for a cannabis delivery service, manufacturing facility, distribution hub, cultivation facility, and holding private events.

The current owner of the property, Tom Vorhess, proposes to lease the 14 acres in the city’s industrial park area (south of Highway 198) to Wellsona for its cannabis operations.

In the past month, council members have approved two marijuana dispensaries: Valley Pure, a Woodlake-based cannabis dispensary based in Woodlake, and Natural Healing Center (NHC), based out of San Luis Obispo County. Both hope to begin operations within the next two to six months. Valley Pure expects to operate out of the old railroad depot while NHC is in the process of moving into the vacated Bank of America building on D Street.

The City intends to capitalize by assessing various fees, including fees on gross receipts and manufacturing. An annual revenue-raising fee – for the privilege of having the right to conduct a commercial cannabis operation in the city – will be a minimum annual fee of six dollars per cubic foot for the first 25,000 cubic feet for the developer’s commercial operations.