Supergood seeks permission for dual-use dispensary at 2010 E. Waterloo; applicant says location suits heavy commercial corridor

Planning staff told the committee that OTC Ohio, doing business with the Supergood brand, seeks a conditional-use permit to establish a dual-use marijuana dispensary at 2010 E. Waterloo Road.

"Petitioner intends to completely renovate the interior and exterior of the 3,605 square foot one-story building," Planner Mike Antonucci told the committee, describing a plan that includes reception, sales, receiving, storage and a vault. The site plan in the staff presentation shows 61 paved parking spaces, 50 square feet of wall signage and a monument sign sited between two curb cuts. Staff and the planning commission recommended approval subject to conditions.

Darcy Fankhauser, identified in the hearing as a co-owner of Supergood and a representative of OTC Ohio, said the company is buying the property, is family-owned, and operates a single existing location in Ravenna, Ohio. Fankhauser described the proposed Waterloo Road site as a "transitionary type corridor" with substantial vehicle traffic and a mix of recent development and national retail.

"We chose that location specifically within the Akron Metro because we wanted to find a transitionary type corridor that's heavily commercial with, frankly, a decent amount of vehicle traffic on an average daily basis," Fankhauser said. She told the committee the company expects to hire approximately 30 employees and operate from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. She said the Waterloo site is roughly 1,500 square feet larger than the Ravenna location and should allow the company to keep operations small and locally staffed.

Council members asked questions about neighborhood impacts and notification. Councilman McKittrick confirmed that staff mailed notices to nearby residential areas and reported no community objections to date. Fankhauser said the Ravenna store draws roughly 20–25% of its customers from Akron and that the company expects traffic to smooth between the two stores.

Planning staff highlighted planned site features to address impacts: landscaping, lighting, video surveillance and adherence to state packaging requirements and prohibitions on on-site consumption. Antonucci noted that the property sits in a UPD-6 commercial zoning district and that residential uses are currently not permitted without council approval.

Why it matters: Dual-use dispensaries and related retail have generated considerable public attention; the planning department framed this application as compatible with a heavily traveled commercial corridor so long as conditions—parking, landscaping, surveillance and state regulatory compliance—are met.

What’s next: The applicant was invited to return for the evening council session, at which the committee will make a recommendation to full council.

Quotes: "This will be our second location in the state of Ohio. We're a small family owned company," Darcy Fankhauser, co-owner, Supergood. "The dispensary will operate from 9AM to 9PM, 7 days a week," Mike Antonucci, Planning Department.

Ending note: Planning staff recommended approval subject to conditions. The committee closed public testimony and recorded no objections from residents present at the hearing.