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By Virginia Bruce

Our occasional roundup of businesses moving in or out, and other changes around the community.

Medical Marijuana dispensary proposed

On September 14, a neighborhood meeting was held at a home on NW Dale, just south of Cornell. Many neighbors were surprised to find out that the lot where the house is located is zoned “TO:RC” which means Transit Oriented Retail/Commercial (zoning which was applied at the time the Cedar Hills/Cedar Mill Community Plan was adopted in the late 90s!). But the bigger surprise was that the meeting was to present a proposal for a medical marijuana facility, which could become a general retail facility now that it is legal.

It's likely that the proposed location will be too close to the park to allow retail sales, if Ordinance 804 is passed in its current form.

The house was purchased in August by Western Oregon Botanicals, based in Sherwood. Owner Sheri Ralston explained that it has been hard to find existing retail property in Washington County that is willing to rent to any marijuana business, and that’s why the company decided to buy the home. They are renting it to a residential tenant until such time as it can be approved.

Our County Commissioner Greg Malinowski was present at the meeting to explain the county’s position. He said, “We’re gearing up for this stuff. We’re revamping our (medical marijuana) rules to cover (recreational) marijuana dispensaries.”

The Washington County Board of Commissioners is currently working on Ordinance No. 804 which “responds to changes in state law specific to the lawful use of marijuana for recreational purposes. The ordinance proposes to amend existing language in the Community Development Code related to time, manner, and place regulation of medical marijuana dispensaries, replacing “Medical Marijuana Dispensary” with “Marijuana Facility” and defining these terms.”

Among the suggested provisions for the new ordinance is one prohibiting retail operations within a 1000-foot buffer around youth-oriented recreational facilities, including the Sunset Sports Complex, whose eastern boundary is very likely less than 1000 feet from the proposed location.

Hundreds of comments on the Oregonian article about the meeting underline the passions that the topic stirs in some.

The Little Store

Neighbors in the West Haven area have been waiting for the rebuilding of the popular “Little Store,” at the corner of Leahy Road and 90th, for some time now. Sue and Dave Galt bought the property several years ago, first intending to remodel the existing building for a neighborhood grocery and coffee shop. They found so many structural problems that they used the “standing wall remodel” provision in the county’s land use laws to virtually rebuild the spot from the ground up.

They shared a conceptual drawing of the finished project, along with this news. “We are hoping to frame and roof before Winter 2015. We are then hoping to open late summer of 2016. We are going to be at the site on Halloween with cider and treats (dog treats included).”

Sunset Mall

We now hear that the restaurants that will be going in to the new building will be Jersey Mike's Subs and Chipotle. No word on the retail spot, though.

Delays in obtaining permits will put off the demolition until after the end of October, which lets the Cedar Mill Farmers Market finish out the season in their accustomed space.

Bandito Taco is relocating to a space in the main section of the mall, next to the Dollar Tree. Ahmad Kouklani started the restaurant over 24 years ago. Now he is finally getting a chance to share another of his food passions, the Persian food of his native land (and I bet you thought he was Mexican!). He and his wife Sahar Fardanesh will be preparing all the favorite “healthy Mexican” dishes, alongside a selection of Persian specialties including delicious thick soups (porridge) and stews, in the larger space.

Here’s a photo of a bowl of Khoresht-e Qormeh Sabzi I found on the internet, we’ll have to wait and see what Ahmad’s looks like!

Ahmad says, “My mission and goal is to provide real authentic Persian food, and bring the art of this delicious and healthy style of cooking to Cedar Mill at a very reasonable price. After all, we all need and deserve to eat healthy food made with fresh ingredients, without paying arm and a leg for it.”

He notes that “for many centuries, Persians used food to help heal and protect the body from viruses/diseases naturally with what nature had to offer. Back in those days medicine was not as popular and available as it is to day.”

These are a few of the many Persian items that will be featured: ASH-E Shole Qalam Kar (Bean & vegetable porridge); ASH-E Reshteh (Legume and noodle porridge), and one of my favorites Khoresht-e Qormeh Sabzi (Green Vegetable Stew with meat) served with steam cooked Jasmine rice, and the delightful condiment/salad Mast-o-Khiyar (yogurt, cucumber, raisins).

He expects to open by the end of November, if all the remodeling goes as planned. We can’t wait!

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