Board approves special‑use permit for indoor cannabis cultivation at 465 Paul Road

The Gates Chili Planning Board approved a special‑use permit for Rack Dispensary and Hydroponics LLC to operate an indoor controlled‑environment agriculture facility at 465 Paul Road.

Applicant Paul Pargas told the board the proposal would move cultivation and light manufacturing from Henrietta into an interior building on Paul Road and would not change the building’s exterior. "What we would be doing there is indoor cultivation of cannabis, as well as light manufacturing and limited processing," Pargas said. He told the board the facility has sufficient power, planned HVAC upgrades and odor mitigation using carbon filtration.

Board members asked about fertilizer and chemical use, security and state licensing. Pargas said fertilizer or chemical use is not permitted by the regulatory body (referred to in the record as OCM), that the company uses carbon filtration at its existing facility to control odor, maintains overnight security at that facility, and holds active state licenses. On manufacturing, he said the operation would limit activity to filling vape pens, making pre‑rolls and prepackaging product, and that concentrates would be sourced from other processors rather than produced on site.

With no public comments, the board closed the hearing, declared lead agency for environmental review as an unlisted action with no significant environmental impact, and approved the special‑use permit. Conditions require the applicant to submit copies of required agency approvals to the town building department prior to issuance of building permits, comply with relevant Monroe County review comments, and obtain all necessary life‑safety permits from the town fire marshal.

The board recorded the approvals by voice vote; the transcript indicates the motion and second and multiple affirmative voice votes, but individual roll‑call votes were not listed in the record.