HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-10-09 Public Hearing Comments - Distributed to PC at Meeting Julie Hultman
From: Donae Gustafson
Sent: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 4:08 PM
To: Julie Hultman
Subject: Fwd: Marijuana dispensary
Begin forwarded message:
From: Donae Gustafson1111.1111111111111.
Subject: Marijuana dispensary
Date: October 7, 2025 at 3:54:14 PM CDT
To: jholtman@cityofoak arkheights.com
Cc: Donae Gustafson
Hello Julie Holtman,
This email is pursuant to our recent phone conversation. I oppose the opening of a
marijuana dispensary in the building, which had been Josephs Restaurant. We already
have 2 facilities of that nature in close proximity to the NuView building that my
psychological clinic is within and also Youth Service Bureau, at 6120 Oren Ave. N. . Both
practices are instrumental in being helpful to clients with substance abuse and mental
health concerns. In my opinion, as a mental health provider, we are overloaded with
dispensaries in such close proximity.
I vote No to granting permission to allow yet another dispensary opening up within blocks
of each others, and especially not next to 2 healing clinics that treat mental health and
substance abuse issues. We already have a dispensary across the street of an Adolescent
Chemical Dependency Treatment Center, which is close to the Lucky's gas station. Also,
we have a homeless shelter opening up close to the already existing marihuana
dispensaries, and we have evidence that at least 25% in homeless shelters, emergency
shelters are wrestling with serious substance abuse. I plan on coming to the meeting on
Thursday evening and I wish we would have gotten notice sooner. Can we at least post
pone this and see how the other 2 close dispensaries affect the community? When I
google negative consequences of such an establishment, google stated crime goes up by
them. We must ask ourselves, does such an establishment contribute positively to
the culture for Oak Park Heights?
Dr. Donae Gustafson
Clinical Psychologist .
i
Jacob Rife
From: Chris Addington aniftlualligii
Sent: Thursday, October 9, 2025 11:04 AM
To: Jacob Rife
Subject: Planning Commission meeting 10-9-25
To Whom it May Concern,
I am a Registered Nurse double Board certified in Emergency Room and Operating Room Nursing with
multiple degrees. Knowing my background, I sincerely hope you will take my comments into serious
consideration.
I am unable to attend the meeting tonight as I just found out about this issue and could not cancel my
other plans.
I am expressing opposition to granting any permits for marijuana dispenseries in the proposed locations.
I know the laws though and am not reinventing the wheel by discussing why recreational marijuana
should not have been legalized. Although all professional medical organizations have stated their
opposition to recreational marijuana.
My objection is the poor choices of locations. Being near a homeless shelter, 2 prisons, mental health
clinics, a hospital, schools and churches is not an appropriate place. To say nothing of being so close to
a family friendly community to raise children. Grant the permit if you must but not in the locations
requested. Please consider the negative complications making any decisions and the future of the
wonderful city of Oak Park Heights. Allowing the financial gain from the business owner requesting
appears to take precedence over the Mission Statement of Oak Park Heights. Businesses near will also
be impacted. Please consider other locations. Residents of Oak Park Heights need to have involvement
in this issue. No one seems to know about it. It will impact them greatly.
And please do not grant the 4 you are allowed to. 1 is enough.
Thank you for you consideration.
Sincerely,
Chris Addington
Baytown Township
CHRIS ADDINGTON R.N. BS, CNOR
Sugar Plum Siberians
PAWS.... to reflect on what life has given you
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