Boulder County commissioners, on a 2-1 vote, on Tuesday approved a plan to turn a lodge in rural Coal Creek Canyon into a marijuana grow and infused products retail business that has been opposed by neighbors.
The decision came after a four-hour hearing that included public comment and two closed-door executive sessions for legal advice.
After the first executive session, commissioners disclosed that the applicant either gave or attempted to give them campaign donations, and those donations were either rejected or returned. The second session was to receive legal advice on the county’s land use code. An aerial view of the Eldora Lodge property.(Photo courtesy of Boulder County) The Eldora Lodge, now owned by Reptar 1783 LLC, was built in 1964. The lodge was closed and the property sold in 2021 for $1.3 million, according to Boulder County property records. The 2.67-acre property, located at 33247 Coal Creek Canyon Drive is zoned for business uses, while the adjacent Cedar Ridge Estates neighborhood is zoned as forestry.
According to county planners, a marijuana business is a use-by-right in the business zone, while the proposal also is compatible “with the small business character of the parcel.” The proposal was conditionally approved by the planning department in February and then — after an outcry by neighbors — called up by the commissioners for a public hearing and final decision.
The applicants plan to add a 1,200-square-foot grow shed for 80 plants and use the lodge to extract the cannabis oil and manufacture and sell products. Products include marijuana-infused creams, oils, powders, tea and sunscreen, as well as prepackaged “joint packs.” The oil extraction doesn’t use solvents and so isn’t a fire hazard, they said, while their organic soil grow method minimizes water use.
Boulder County staff members reported that they received 148 public comments on the proposal, with 142 of those comments expressing concern.
Tension between the applicants and the neighbors was evident at Tuesday’s meeting, with applicant Eddie Padilla characterizing the neighbors as “a small group of rich, old-fashioned individuals.” Neighbors responded by accusing the applicants of bullying and harassment. The Eldora Lodge in Coal Creek Canyon(Photo […]
Boulder County signs off on marijuana grow and retail business in Coal Creek Canyon
