The arrival of a cannabis processing plant on Jerry Clower Boulevard recently returned to the city council, following another change to the property’s leasing agreement.
The property located at 301 Jerry Clower Blvd., formerly known as the Blue Moon gas station and more recently C&B Quick Shop and Restaurant, was previously approved by the city council to be a cannabis processing facility in an August 2023 board meeting. The zoning variance was approved by both the city board and the planning and zoning board for Kanwaljit Singh. During the city board’s 2023 approval, it was stated that no other type of business could be placed at the site.
But allowance of the facility returns to this city council this month with another party.
“We would like to have the cannabis processing laboratory be permitted under Sukhman Singh as opposed to Kanwaljit Singh,” Kanwaljit Singh wrote to Mayor David Starling.
The city’s planning and zoning board approved the transfer.
Sukhman Singh also applied for a zoning variance to change the zoning from a Highway Commercial District to an Industrial Limited District. The applicant was named Sukhman Singh, and Harjinder Kaur as the property owner.
But the city council remains concerned over the matter, particularly pertaining to what would be at the site in the midst of the changes.
“I know the planning and zoning board are the ones we have to go to discuss any new potential businesses,” said Alderman Charlie Jenkins. “It seems like someone goes to that board, they discuss what potential business is coming to the city, and they approve it. They then come to this board, and we have a right to accept it or reject it. I think that is kind of out of order. That is just my opinion. I think that when a potential business is coming to the city and they present it to the planning and zoning board, I think the building inspector should contact us. Most of the time when it comes in here, it is already approved.”
Mayor David Starling asked building inspector Richard Patterson to provide a report to the city board in the future.
Alderwoman Elizabeth Thomas said she was also confused about the matter since the applicant’s name has changed before.
“The owner could be the actual owner of the property, but whoever is leasing the property may be applying for the variance,” replied Board Attorney Lilli Evans-Bass.
“But this application says it is for gas to automobiles, as well as a restaurant,” Thomas said. “The last time, it was only for the one thing they were applying for.”
“That is correct because I made the motion that it only be for that intent (cannabis processing),” added Jenkins.
“I think they went back to the drawing board, went back to planning and zoning board and came back to us with an entirely different approach,” Starling said.
Vince Davis appeared before the city council as a spokesman for the group because of the language barrier.
“It will never be a restaurant,” Davis said. “It will be an extraction company. The Blue Moon will sell gas, but it will be two separate businesses. It will be two different entities really so the cannabis extraction company will occupy the old area that Mitchell Saxton had a restaurant. That building will be divided. It’s already divided.”
Davis said the former restaurant will be the site of the cannabis processing facility. The former gas station will return to its previous usage as a gas station and convenience store.
“We already have a total of three or four marijuana factories on Jerry Clower,” said Alderman Macklyn Austin. “I am all for business coming here. But we are just littering Jerry Clower with marijuana businesses. In my opinion, that is not a good look for Yazoo City.”
Davis said the other cannabis-related businesses on Jerry Clower Boulevard are open to the public.
“This extraction company is forbidden to any public,” Davis said. “You can only go into this facility with cards that have been issued from the state of Mississippi.”
“I understand that, but it is still based around marijuana,” Austin said.
Jenkins made the motion to take the matter under advisement.
