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Grove City council denies special‑use permit for Jackpot Road dispensary after heated public hearing
Summary
After extended public comment and council debate over traffic, proximity to a recovery center and neighborhood impacts, council voted 4‑3 to deny the special‑use permit for a marijuana dispensary at 3989 Jackpot Road (Ordinance C0326). Applicants disputed traffic estimates and offered security concessions; hotels and residents opposed the site.
Grove City Council voted down a special‑use permit for a proposed marijuana dispensary at 3989 Jackpot Road, concluding a lengthy public hearing in which staff, the applicant and multiple residents and businesses presented conflicting traffic estimates and competing safety and economic arguments.
Staff and planning‑commission materials recommended disapproval, citing two central concerns: largely unchanged application materials compared with an earlier submission and inconsistent traffic figures. City staff reported a prior application estimated about 700 customers and 673 vehicle trips, the applicant revised its estimate to about 380 vehicles per day, while the engineering traffic manual and staff calculations suggested a figure near 612 vehicle trips.
Applicant Chris Welsh of Act Investments told council the earlier filing misinterpreted a planning question and that the revised submission used three sources—his company’s experience, state sales data, and an in‑house time study of an existing dispensary. Welsh said he expects typical days of about 202 customers and peak days around 400 customers, with a steady flow that would not concentrate in rush hours. He also said the company would provide 24/7 interior and exterior camera coverage and would work with Grove City Police.
Property representative Todd Gonawar said the owner has invested in the building, cleared back taxes and has worked with police to address trespass and loitering; he described the proposed investment and said it could transform a blighted site.
Opponents included neighborhood residents and hotel operators on Jackpot Road. Chris Moore and Misty Gibson told council they were concerned about public safety, juvenile exposure and community character; Ron McClure, a Jackson Township trustee and Grove City resident, urged officials to “listen to the voices of those you represent,” citing proximity to a recovery center. Veran Patel, representing four hotels near the site, told council the location could concern family customers attending sporting events and warned of traffic and perceived negative impacts on nearby rehab operations.
Council also debated signage and online presence. One councilmember proposed an amendment to the special‑use permit that would require the business not to appear as a “dispensary” in Google search results; after discussion that the change would be unenforceable and overly narrow, the amendment was withdrawn.
Following debate, council moved to approve the ordinance but the motion failed on roll call. The recorded votes were: Holt (yes), Omar (yes), Anderson (yes); Sturm (no), Burrows (no), Halinga (no), Berry (no). The motion to approve C0326 was therefore denied, and the special‑use permit did not pass.
What’s next: The applicant may pursue other locations or revise the application. Council members flagged continuing concerns about compatibility, traffic modeling and proximity to sensitive uses; staff noted that prior planning‑commission reviews and public input informed the negative recommendation.
