Alliance officials consider bringing marijuana dispensaries to State Street

ALLIANCE ‒ The former Value City property across from College Plaza on East State Street is reportedly getting a new owner and major plans.

Mayor Andy Grove told the city council Monday night that plans include a climate-controlled storage facility, a gas station and retail stores.

The property at 1425 E. State St., adjacent to St. Joseph Cemetery, is currently undergoing demolition and cleanup. Grove said the warehouse would be located at the rear of the property. The gas station and stores would be located near East State.

“It’s a good-sized field,” Grove said.

The new owner is Rhino Storage Group — doing business as RSS 1425 East State Street LLC — of Racine, Ohio, and the property was purchased for $637,000 in May, according to the Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce and the Stark County Auditor’s Office.

Grove said the plans are expected to improve the East State corridor, as well as the revitalized College Plaza, adding, “They’ve done a good job.”

Preparing for the Cannabis Business in the City of Carnations

In other economic news, city officials and the City Council are amending part of the city’s zoning code to allow state-licensed marijuana dispensaries to open.

Stark County Locations: Cannabis Dispensary Map

Safety Director Mike Dreger said the proposed changes would comply with state regulations and reduce the distance from 1,000 feet to 500 feet between a dispensary and a public place, such as a park. At least two groups have expressed interest in locating a dispensary in the city of Carnation, he said.

That’s why, Dreger said, dispensaries could only open on stretches of State Street. City officials would have to police only one street, and none of them would be in “any neighborhood.”

The marijuana dispensary legislation — Ordinance No. 031-24 — has been scheduled for a public hearing at 6:10 p.m. Aug. 5 before the council is expected to vote on it.

Is DORA part of the city’s future? Maybe.

In Stark County, communities such as Canton, North Canton and Louisville have designated outdoor cooling areas in or near their downtown areas.

Could the Alliance be next?

Councilman Phillip Mastroianni told colleagues he plans to explore the possibility of establishing a DORA in downtown Alliance after several people, including business owners, approached him about it recently.

“I think it would be a good piece of the puzzle,” to attract more people downtown, Mastroianni said.

In other matters, the council:

It was understood that the city’s tax revenues were down 2.88 percent, or about $200,000. City Auditor Kevin Knowles said he was hopeful those numbers would improve.
State auditors could decide whether the city should be removed from budget oversight by August or September, Knowles said. It has been on the list since May 2018.
Heard’s finance committee recommended reimbursing a Webb Street resident who said blockages in city-maintained sewer lines caused backups in her basement. The damages were estimated at $1,500.
I heard that Dunkin’ Donuts at 1041 W. State St. is expanding to create two drive-thru lines.

Contact Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or [email protected]. On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP.