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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Growing pains continue as Oklahoma’s medical marijuana industry continues to expand.

In far west OKC, businessmen are looking to rezone a piece of land from residential to agricultural in order to grow pot.

“It’s going to be a pot farm, a marijuana farm, 10 acres. What we don’t need is a farm,” said Steve Boyce.

The retired police officer is concerned about the prospects of a marijuana farm going up close to his West OKC neighborhood.

According to city records, lots at Wilshire and County Line Road are petitioning to be rezoned from residential to agricultural.

“People aren’t going to steal wheat here in Oklahoma. It’s too hard to do, but they might sneak across the fence and grab a handful of marijuana. Yank a plant up or two and run,” said Boyce.

“It’s legal now and bringing lots of tax dollars to the city so it benefits a lot of people in a lot of ways,” said Jessie Escobar who owns the lots.

He wants to start an indoor grow facility on his property. He filed the paperwork.

“There are pretty strict laws with OMMA to make sure everything is put in place so there won’t be crime. I feel pretty confident that I’m doing the right thing,” said Escobar.

“I think that it is a bad idea,” Heather Hahn disagrees.

Hahn says she recently moved to this OKC area from Colorado in part because of the Rocky Mountain State’s marijuana laws and the negative effects she says they are having on Colorado.

“I believe that if you are going to have a marijuana farm, it needs to be outside of the city limits,” said Hahn.

News 4 called City Councilman James Greiner and he sent the following statement:

“Thank you for contacting me about PC-10629 which will be heard on February 4th. The rezoning is a down-zoning from R-1 (single-family) to AA (agriculture), and according to our comprehensive plan there are no compatibility issues between AA and all of the other zoning classifications (including R-1). The fact that the applicant mentioned growing marijuana has no bearing on whether the zoning application should or should not be approved because of state law. If the applicant is abiding by the state’s laws and regulations surrounding the growing of marijuana, it is legal for them to do so.

I personally did not vote for SQ 788 because it was much too broad of a law, which I think is illustrated by this zoning case. I would be in favor of a statewide vote that would allow cities and the state to regulate marijuana to the extent that would make it a truly medical marijuana bill.

I believe strongly in personal property rights and the rule of law. Because of this belief and the reasons that I have stated above, I will be recommending to the rest of the Council that we approve the application. Thank you again for contacting me about this zoning case.

-James Greiner”

The rezoning petition goes in front of the OKC City Council Feb. 4th.