In January 2026, I wrote about a cannabis growhouse proposed in Hollywood based on an application filed on December 1 with Land Use & Growth Management. The project, located on about 89 acres owned by Hollywood Industrial Partners, LLC, is surrounded by residential properties to the north, and the Center for Life Enrichment to the south.

The concept plan documents show a buildout across three phases, culminating in more than 158,000 square feet of building space. Phase one, the largest, includes over 70,000 square feet of space for greenhouses, packaging, and operations. Phases two and three would expand on that by roughly 50,000 square feet and 67,000 square feet, respectively. Two wells, up to seven 25,000 gallon storage tanks, and a septic system capable of up to 600 gallons of use per day are indicated on the plans. At full buildout, the site fits snugly within the 500 foot setback from residential property required by the county’s zoning ordinance.

Permits from the State Highway Administration are required to access the site from Route 235 South, directly across from the median crossover at Joy Lane. No traffic study has been submitted, but the SHA requested it include the intersections of 235/247 and 235/245.

On January 13, residents who live nearby packed the Commissioner’s meeting room to voice their concerns about the proposal. Many of them spoke of personal experiences with illness, or losing friends and neighbors to cancer. One man described losing his son to cancer. The property where the growhouse is proposed is a former Super Fund site cleaned up by the Environmental Protection Agency in the 1990s. In the 1970s, a company operated on site treating wood with creosote and other toxic chemicals that were then dumped into onsite ponds. Roughly 270,000 tons of soil was removed from the site during the cleanup.

Nearby residents are understandably wary of disturbing the site again, and how a new industrial development might affect the surrounding area.

A cannabis growhouse in Abell, built in recent years, was referenced several times. Residents there have spoken over the years about the effects of noise and air pollution from the growhouse. Those who live near the one proposed in Hollywood didn’t want the Commissioners to forget the lessons learned from the Abell site.

I recently reviewed the latest publicly available documents related to the proposal. A LUGM staff review noted that Conditional Use Approval is required from the Board of Appeals. Certification from a professional is required to demonstrate odor control measures will meet county standards. LUGM requested a report showing no impacts in the general vicinity from traffic, noise, odor, or light pollution.

LUGM staff also noted the applicant will need permission from the County Commissioners to cross the railroad right of way to enter the site. That right of way has been held by the county for years after the railroad running to Point Lookout ceased operation and has slowly been converted to the Three Notch Trail.

Dated January 12, a letter from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources says the “project site is located within the headwaters of McIntosh Run” where “numerous species of rare, threatened and endangered species” exist. DNR specifies a need to show a minimum 100 foot undisturbed forested buffer around permanent and intermittent streams and nontidal wetlands.

The applicant will need to address any outstanding comments highlighted by LUGM and other agencies involved in the review process, then submit an updated concept plan with changes.

Meanwhile, as the process unfolds, residents living near the site have organized a petition in opposition to the project. The petition, started by resident Jim Pendarvis, calls for denying the project and requiring a “full community and environmental impact review before any further consideration” as well as public hearings where residents can “formally voice concerns.”

Hosted on Change.org, the petition has 592 signatures as of this writing. Change.org’s Civic Engagement Team “reaches out to decision makers to let them know about petitions in their community” according to a note on a response received about the petition. On February 22, 2026, County Administrator David Weiskopf wrote a letter stating the Commissioners “acknowledge receipt of the petition and understand that this matter is of strong interest to members of our community.”

Weiskopf goes on to say that Commissioners don’t approve development applications before providing an explanation of the approval process, including opportunities for community involvement at public hearings. “We encourage constituents who wish to share their views to participate in these public hearings when they are scheduled,” he wrote.

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Update: Hollywood Cannabis Growhouse

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