The State of Ohio has approved 12 large medical marijuana cultivation operations with one located in Mad River Township for the Springfield, Clark County area.

Pure Ohio Wellness LLC, a company formed in March of this year by a resident of Hebron, Ohio was one of the applicants approved by the State of Ohio to begin operations in Mad River Township. The Enon Eagle contacted James Pegram, Jr to confirm that he is in fact the owner of the business.  He spoke briefly and confirmed that this is a new business for him and that he has hired professionals who will be responsible for the grow operation.  He deferred to his attorney who is preparing a statement for release concerning the approval.

The Ohio Department of Commerce included Pure Ohio Wellness in a list of 13 Level I cultivators who were given provisional licenses.  The list also included Cresco Labs Ohio LLC which will be located in the Greene County community of Yellow Springs.  A Level II provisional license was awarded to Ohio Clean Leaf LLC in Montgomery County for the Dayton community and paragon Development Group LLC in Huber Heights.

The initial cultivation area would consist of up to 25,000 square feet.  The location in Mad River Township is the former site of Heidelberg Distributors located at 4020 Dayton-Springfield Road east of the Village of Enon. 

The Eagle reached out to the Mad River Township Board of Trustee members and received “no comment” from Joe Catanzaro.  Board President Kathy Estep explained that the township trustees did not provide any form of support for the application. Estep noted that she would not have been in favor of the approval had she been given a vote.  Trustee Bob McClure confirmed that the board did not make a statement in support of the application.   “I would like to see something in the building.  If this can help people with medical conditions, then I am for it” said McClure regarding the announcement.

Large growers paid $20,000 to apply for the license and will pay $180,000 in the initial licensing fee.  The cost to the growers will be $200,000 per year thereafter.

Zoning for the business was included in the application according to information provided by the Clark County Community and Economic Development office.  Director Tom Hale was unavailable for comment as the office had yet to receive official notification of the approval.

The Enon Eagle will continue to cover the developments surrounding this approval following the release of a statement by Pure Ohio Wellness LLC and the township meeting scheduled for Monday, December 4 beginning at 7:30 pm.