A conditional use permit application has been approved for Northwest Connoisseurs, an I-502 licensed marijuana grow facility on Orcas Island. The permit allows them to build a 5,200 square foot warehouse in a light industrial zone of Eastsound on 46 Hope Lane.

The approval comes with some amendments, including a three foot earthen berm along the Mt. Baker Road side of the operation that will face a residential neighborhood. According to the application, the landscaped berm and accompanying plants will provide visual screening and physical separation from the residences across the road. The facility will also be fenced in by a “solid wood, sight-obscuring fence” according to the permit.

In addition, the decision states that no outside storage of raw or spent materials or equipment is allowed to be visible outside the fenced storage area.

“The impacts of most concern to surrounding property owners were noise and odor emissions from the production of marijuana and aesthetic impacts,” the decision reads. “Conditions would ensure compliance with best management practices addressing potential noise and odor from the use and are expected to result in no noise or odor from the facility being detectable at the site boundaries.

In the conclusion San Juan County Hearing Examiner Sharon A. Rice noted that concerns brought by neighbors often relied on information about marijuana facilities in different locations or conditions and were “thus not predictive of the current proposal,” or were “speculative in nature,” such as fears that property values would lower.

“Land use permits cannot be denied based on the basis of popularity,” the decision reads.

To read the full application addressing noise, light, odor and traffic, including conditions and neighbor concerns, see the full conditional use permit here.