SOMERSET COUNTY, MD - The Somerset County Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously approved a special exception for a cannabis growth facility to operate in what is currently an auto repair shop on Maryland 413 near Crisfield.
Trilogy Group LLC was awarded a growth license from the Maryland Cannabis Association, stipulating that the business must operate by July 2026.
The Trilogy Group inquired about operating out of the county-owned, undeveloped industrial park off Revell's Neck Road in Westover. However, that project timeline does not align with the license deadline.
The new location is 4630 Crisfield Highway. The existing building houses Jed's Auto Refinishing, which would be renovated from its current use to accommodate growing operations.
"The board felt that they're gonna do everything they can to be good neighbors," Somerset Planning and Zoning Director Jesse Drewer said.
According to Drewer, the Board of Zoning Appeals considered potential issues like odor and security before approving the special exception.
"This is not open to the public; it will be completely fenced in," Drewer said. "A six-foot fence will be completely surrounding the perimeter, including security, lighting, cameras and on-site security."
The site plans include an odor mitigation flow system with negative-pressure grow rooms and a carbon filter to ventilate exhaust reaching the exterior.
"Once that's approved and if there aren't any issues that staff or the Planning Commission have, then they'll be issued a building permit and they're pretty much good to go from Somerset," Drewer said.
Somerset County Economic Development Executive Director Daniel Thompson said this business fits the local agricultural-skilled workforce well.
"It's a farming product, it just happens in this instance to be cannabis instead of corn or watermelon," Thompson said. "So, how this can benefit the county is jobs."
The Planning and Zoning Commission will review the Trilogy Group's proposed site plan at its 6 p.m. meeting on Thursday, October 2, at the Somerset County Office Complex in Princess Anne.
During this meeting, the public can ask the commission questions and express concerns about the facility.