Medical Marijuana Facility May Be Coming To Westmoreland Co.
ROSTRAVER (KDKA) -- A medical marijuana growing and processing center may be coming to Westmoreland County.
A company has filed an application and wants to put the medical marijuana facility into a warehouse.
Maitri Medicinals is asking to develop the marijuana cultivation facility along Finley Road in Belle Vernon.
If awarded one of the states 12 grower/processor permits, the company wants to employee 20 people to help produce cannabis oil.
"As long as it helps people and the right precautions are taken, I don't see what the problem is," said Amber Taylor, who lives near the site of the proposed facility. "As long as they have the security and everything."
KDKA got a look at the plans for the facility that show a security fence and security cameras around the proposed grow operation. State and medical marijuana law requires significant background checks for employees and on-site security.
"If it wasn't a problem, why are they putting a fence up for it?" said Jim Ryan, who lives nearby.
Ryan says he understands medical marijuana is legal, but he just doesn't want the problems that he says he believes a facility like the one proposed would bring.
"The fence is to keep the people out, so if the people can't get in, where are the people going to be? Standing outside, people in the streets, protests, the whole deal," says Ryan. "We don't want it out here."
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A representative from Maitri Medicinals declined comment on their application for now.
It's all just a proposal for now. Before it can become a reality, it must go in front of the Rostraver Township Zoning Board, as well as public hearings to discuss it further.