51黑料

ST. LOUIS 鈥� The leader of a charter school here is calling on city officials to stop a pot dispensary from opening up across the street 鈥� a request officials say they don鈥檛 have the power to grant.

High Fidelity Brands is building a Kind Goods store now, at 1631 South Broadway in Soulard, about 150 feet from the two-decade-old Lift for Life Academy, one of the city鈥檚 first charter schools.

鈥淥f all the places, why can it happen right next door?鈥� said Marshall Cohen, executive director of Lift For Life Academy. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the first thing (students) are going to see. Can you imagine sending your kid to school right next to a dispensary?鈥�

State regulations prohibit a marijuana facility within 1,000 feet of any elementary or secondary school, day care or church. But aldermen changed 51黑料 in 2020 to remove any spacing requirements, and local zoning ordinances supersede state .

Kind Goods has locations in Manchester, Fenton and St. Peters. The Soulard building is under demolition as the company waits for a permit to start interior renovations, said founder Kyle Lenzen.

In recent weeks, Cohen said the school of about 900 students has been campaigning and recruiting parents, staff and local businesses to urge elected officials to halt the project the planned dispensary in what he called 鈥渁 big push against鈥� cannabis coming near the school.

But options appear limited.

鈥淚t鈥檚 allowed to go there,鈥� said Alderwoman Cara Spencer. 鈥淔rom what I understand dispensaries generate a lot of money in tax revenue. I can see the concerns, but there are so many protections. Marijuana is a legal substance, like alcohol.鈥�

The dispensary is seeking city permission to operate a bank-style service window and transaction drawer for online orders to be picked up. A conditional-use hearing at the city鈥檚 Board of Adjustment is set for 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Oculus Inc. is the project architect.

鈥淲e currently provide this service at our St. Peters dispensary and firmly believe this is an important amenity that will provide convenience to those with disabilities and customers who have multiple passengers in their vehicle, similar to a Walgreens or CVS pharmacy,鈥� Lenzen said. The Kind Goods store will be 2,100 square feet, employ around 30 people and operate daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Were the conditional-use permit to be denied, the dispensary could still exist just without the drive-thru. Previously, the building housed a Jimmy John鈥檚 sandwich shop. Spencer pointed out that there鈥檚 currently a liquor store across from the school, which hasn鈥檛 been a problem.

鈥淭he only reason it鈥檚 having a conditional-use hearing is because of the drive-thru,鈥� Spencer said. 鈥淒ispensaries are fairly highly regulated. None of those kids at the school can be customers. You have to be 21 and be validated.鈥�

Lenzen said when he was made aware of opposition to the project, High Fidelity Brands immediately reached out to Lift for Life to talk about concerns. No progress was made between the two parties, Lenzen said.

Cohen pointed out that a former alderman, Jack Coatar, is the dispensary鈥檚 legal counsel and that Coatar was the primary sponsor on the 2020 bill that removed distance requirements for dispensaries in the city.

But Lenzen said Coatar took over the case from a retiring colleague at the Spencer Fane law firm in March. Coatar, who no longer lives in 51黑料, could not be reached for comment.

Lift for Life Academy was one of the first charter schools in 51黑料. It grew out of Lift for Life Gym, an after-school program aimed at keeping children away from gangs and drugs.

The middle school opened in 2000. The high school was added in 2008 and an elementary school in 2019. Nearly all students at Lift for Life are Black and qualify for free or reduced lunch. Charter schools are publicly funded but operate independently from 51黑料 Public Schools.

The academy has been collecting letters of opposition from neighborhood businesses and parents, which they plan to send to the mayor, Spencer and the city Board of Adjustment ahead of Thursday鈥檚 hearing.

鈥淭he mayor and alderperson can squash this,鈥� Cohen said. 鈥淚 (wouldn鈥檛) care if it鈥檚 two blocks down, but this is outright wrong.鈥�

Lenzen was adamant that the dispensary would never risk its retail license by selling to minors.

鈥淲e understand the concern, but they don鈥檛 know us as operators. We do. We don鈥檛 market to kids or sell to anyone under 21,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat would never happen.鈥�

Blythe Bernhard of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.