Any entrepreneur looking to participate in Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana program understands that one of the biggest expenses and concerns is the location of the operation of the marijuana business venture. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is planning on issuing 25 permits for grower/processors and 50 permits for dispensaries (with up to three locations per each dispensary permit). Theoretically, that is a maximum of 175 properties throughout the state that can house a medical marijuana grower/processor or dispensary. The Medical Marijuana Act requires that all medical marijuana business be indoor and 1000 feet from the property line of the nearest school or daycare. There are additional requirements under the MMA that are primarily security related that must also be factored in when searching for a property to house the business.
Local zoning ordinances will also impact any search for a property to rent or buy. Many townships and municipalities are enacting ordinances in anticipation of medical marijuana businesses setting up in their area. Local ordinances may place additional requirements and restrictions on properties housing medical marijuana business so long as they are consistent with the MMA. Township zoning classifications and conditional uses, maximum square footage, entrance, signage, parking and distance between competing unrelated medical marijuana businesses in the same township are all within the township’s authority to regulate.
A new medical marijuana business in the state you can either buy or rent. Grower/processors may have larger amounts of capital available then dispensaries and elect to buy and build. The problem when you buy is that bank financing will likely be required and there is a good chance that banks and other lending institutions will charge higher rates due to the risks involved. Marijuana is still illegal federally and the new administration’s unclear position with regards to marijuana is creating a lot of fear and worry in the legal marijuana industry. A legal business could still be subject to federal prosecution, shut down, and seizure causing default on loans and loss of collateral. Banks will look to protect themselves by charging higher rates if they accept the risks and provide financing to buy and build.
If a marijuana business elects to rent a property, the landlord is subject to risk of default on the lease if the business is shutdown. Many potential landlords will have properties that are subject to mortgages. A lose of rental income even for a short time could cause landlords to default on those mortgages. Additionally, within the mortgage there is likely a default provision allowing banks to foreclose if any illegal business is conducted on the property. Landlords could be subject to foreclosure by simply entering into a lease with a medical marijuana business.
So long as the Department of Justice’s focus was not on marijuana business legal under their respective state laws, banks have accepted these risks but with a new administration banks may start to have cold feet.
The point is all of these factors make it more of a seller’s market and give potential landlords an advantage when it comes to setting rental terms and rates. With all the risks involved, the statutory requirements, and the limited amount of locations, landlords will be able to charge rents higher than the going market rate.
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