WEST RIDGE — The security plan for a proposed medical marijuana dispensary includes armed guards, inch-thick armored plating, a plethora of cameras and facial recognition for patients.
And the proposed heightened security at the strip-mall storefront has some residents on edge.
"The location of this is not great," resident Estlin Feigley said. "It’s going to be a vault."
The applicant for the dispensary, Good Earth Solutions LLC, presented its plans to a small group of residents Thursday.
Charlie Toussas, a former Chicago police officer and the venture's head of security, said he installed an 18-inch ballast to the front of the storefront, at 1954-68 W. Peterson Ave., to ensure a would-be thief couldn't drive into the front of the dispensary and steal the goods inside.
Steel armored plating would also be installed around the perimeter of the dispensary.
"The whole place will be encased in metal," he said. "You can’t drive through my facility, no way."
To get inside, each patient coming to pick up a prescription would need to scan an ID card, scan a corresponding thumbprint and look into a camera where facial recognition technology would ensure the patient's identity.
"No prescription, no card, no entry," he said. "This is not a recreational facility."
Meanwhile, two armed guards would be on duty at all times during business hours. During the day and at night, cameras inside and out would spot any suspicious behavior, Toussas said.
The cameras' monitors would also be hooked up to an emergency generator in case the building lost power.
The dispensary's inventory would be stored in a vault.
But some residents who live in the neighborhood felt uneasy that any business would need so much protection.
"At the end of the day, I don’t understand why this neighborhood would be open to the notion that ... this is going to help build the community in the way we want to build the community," said Laolu Fayanju, a resident and medical doctor.
But Patrick Lamb, an attorney representing Good Earth Solutions, said the security plan was required by state and city legislation, the strictest in the country.
Last week, the City Council passed an ordinance that restricted dispensaries further by outlawing them in a building that also includes a dwelling unit. The ordinance also requires dispensaries to retain a private security contractor that would have a constant presence at the facility.
"I think it’s overly cautious," he said. "They're trying to reassure the public that this isn't going to be a problem within a community."
Jody Bhambra, Good Earth's CEO, stressed the benefits the dispensary would have on people in need of marijuana to treat chronic illnesses, like cancer and multiple sclerosis.
She also said the dispensary would donate $1 of every sale to Misercordia and $1 of every sale to the American Cancer Society.
But resident Sherila Mayol said. "We’re not going to benefit from this, are we?"
"Not unless you have cancer," responded Lamb, the attorney.
At least one resident in attendance had no issue with the plans.
"I don't care," said 60-year resident Pat Daly. "I think [the opposition] is an over-reaction from the Not-in-my-Back-Yard people."
On Sept. 1, the state began to accept applications for patients seeking medical marijuana, and for those aiming to operate cultivation centers and dispensaries as part of a Medical Cannabis Pilot Program.
As part of a four-year pilot program that will end in 2018, the state will only grant 60 dispensary licenses, 13 of which can be in the city of Chicago.
Once a patient receives a medical marijuana card, he or she will have to select one dispensary where they will go for marijuana.
Ald. Patrick O'Connor (40th) said the initial community meeting Thursday was part of a "very long" process that would include more community outreach.
The proposal had been on the city's Zoning Board of Appeals' agenda at 2 p.m. Friday, but O'Connor's office the board plans to postpone discussion of it until a future meeting.
Contributing: Alisa Hauser
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