This weeks #GOPCThread is the latest in our series of #OHCommunitySpotlight’s as this month, we travel just to the north of Columbus to Johnstown, Ohio, which is betting on the economic development opportunities found in medical marijuana.
Not on Twitter, the thread is available online, as well as below.
Greater Ohio Policy Center Read on Twitter
Nearly 5 yrs. after Ohio legalized medical marijuana, recreational legalization is back on the table—sparking GOPC’s curiosity regarding cannabis as an economic development tool. This week’s community spotlight highlights @JohnstownOhio & its Medical Cannabis Program #GOPCThread
@JohnstownOhio, located approx. 25 miles NE of downtown Columbus in Licking Co, has grown in recent years at more significant rates than the county as a whole. With over 5,100 residents, Johnstown is starting the process to become a city following the release of 2020 census data. #GOPCThread
Village Manager @JimLenner says 80 new homes were built during 2020, despite the pandemic, & 79 new home permits were issued in Q1 2021. Becoming a city will bring new challenges for @JohnstownOhio but also new funding streams. #GOPCThread
Zoning Map | Village of Johnstown (click image for link)
@JohnstownOhio is a popular home for seniors & families because of its great schools & recreation opportunities. It also has various plans to guide its growth & enhance residents’ quality of life over time, like its 2020 Comprehensive Plan #GOPCThread
Comprehensive Plan | Village of Johnstown (click image for link)
In 2016, Ohio became the 25th state to legalize medical marijuana. Forward-looking @JohnstownOhio saw this as an opportunity to employ innovative economic development strategies & passed a 2017 resolution that welcomed the medical marijuana industry to the community. #GOPCThread
Since then, @JohnstownOhio has taken various steps to recruit medical marijuana industry employers to the village, including those in research & development, operations, production, testing, & more to generate well-paying jobs & a sustainable tax base. #GOPCThread
@JohnstownOhio’s Medical Cannabis Program states the village will accept conditional use zoning permit applications for the cultivation of medical cannabis, requiring a $5K application fee & specific site plan details #GOPCThreadhttps://bit.ly/3lP65B0
@JohnstownOhio identified properties for potential cultivation sites & mapped specific uses (e.g., schools, parks, churches) that must be outside a 500-ft radius of cultivation facilities according to rules produced by the State of Ohio #GOPCThread
Program Data & Maps | Village of Johnstown (click image for link)
@JohnstownOhio was the 1st Ohio community to openly welcome legal, medical marijuana operations. Today, it is home to various related businesses, including Apeks Supercritical, an industry leader in manufacturing botanical oil extraction devices. #GOPCThread
Apeks has a 30K SF facility in @JohnstownOhio’s business park. The manufacturer is veteran-founded & operated & went from 1 employee to 46 in 2019 when purchased by Gibraltar Industries. In 2019, it was projected to generate $24M in sales #GOPCThread
How Andy Joseph Became Central Ohio’s Marijuana Pioneer | Columbus Monthly (click image for link)
@NewarkAdvocate reports, Village Manager @JimLenner, says the community’s decision to welcome the medical marijuana industry has had few critics & attributes this, in part, to the fair legislation @JohnstownOhio passed a couple of years ago #GOPCThread
Marijuana, hemp industry helps Johnstown company flourish | Newark Advocate (click image for link)
Ohio Grown, in @JohnstownOhio’s business park, has 50 employees. Village Manager @JimLenner says the park is so successful; it forced them to plan a 2nd. In 2021, 12 companies existed on 300 acres & generated $700K in increased tax revenue for the village since 2014 #GOPCThread
.@NewarkAdvocate says Curaleaf, a cannabis operator present in 12 states, will acquire Ohio Grown’s cultivation & processing licenses & lease its facility, subject to regulatory approval. It is now advising Ohio Grown on expanding its facility. #GOPCThread
Cannabis operator Curaleaf moves to acquire Johnstown company licenses, facility | Newark Advocate (click image for link)
In 2019, @columbusbiz1st held a roundtable on the progress of Ohio’s medical marijuana market. During this discussion, @OhioCommerce said the industry was developing & hoped it could bring jobs & business to rural Ohio #GOPCThread
Ohio’s medical marijuana program has room to grow, panel says | Columbus Business First (click image for link)
@cghoseBiz1st described Ohio as a living laboratory in an understudied field, generating data on job creation, economic development & physicians’ annual assessment of the effectiveness of marijuana for different symptoms. #GOPCThread
@cghoseBiz1st reports a Zanesville packing center & warehouse closed in 2018, cutting 101 jobs. Some of those people now provide expertise for @JohnstownOhio’s Ohio Grown, which looks for talent in fields like distribution, packaging, & automation #GOPCThread
@cghoseBiz1st also reports Apeks founder, Andy Joseph, says, “Where you’re seeing the ripple effect the opportunities is more in the local economies—places to eat lunch for 70 new employees. We are already recognizing some of these effects.” #GOPCThread
Keep up the excellent work, @JohnstownOhio! Stay tuned for more community spotlights #GOPCThread. Also, check out more good ideas from Ohio’s communities on our website
Good Ideas Initiative | Greater Ohio Policy Center (click image for link)