- Credibility:
OLD TOWN — Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) rejected plans for a weed dispensary in Old Town after a neighbor survey showed the majority of people opposed it.
Developer GLP Old Town requested a zoning change that would allow the firm to build a first-floor dispensary at 1542-44 N. Wells St. with apartments above it, Hopkins said in a notice to his constituents.
Plans for the development, which featured 16 apartments on the upper floors and the 2,175-square-foot dispensary, were presented to neighbors during a June community meeting hosted by Hopkins’ office and the Old Town Merchants & Residents Association.
The Old Town group conducted a survey to gauge neighborhood support for the project and found that 70 percent of respondents opposed it. More than 230 people took the survey.
“While popular opinion is not the only factor I consider when evaluating zoning change requests, the clear survey result combined with the numerous comments received by my office made it apparent that I must deny this zoning change request,” Hopkins said.
Representatives from GLP Old Town did not return a request for comment.
Karma Club, 1590 N. Clybourn Ave., and Curaleaf, 923 W. Weed St., are the nearest dispensaries to the neighborhood in Goose Island.
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