McHenry County's 2nd Pot Dispensary Is On Track To Open In Crystal Lake

By Sam Borcia, the Lake & McHenry County Scanner

The Crystal Lake City Council approved a marijuana dispensary in the building of a former Culver’s restaurant. It will be the second dispensary in McHenry County.

The petitioner for the dispensary is CL Dispensary LLC, which is looking to open a dispensary at 501 Pingree Road in Crystal Lake. The building was a Culver’s restaurant that relocated in 2018 down the street to 400 Pingree Road.

The City Council’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-3 to approve a special use permit for a cannabis dispensary during their Tuesday meeting. The petitioners said the dispensary would sell recreational marijuana.

The Planning and Zoning Commission also granted a variation to reduce a 500-foot religious establishment buffer to a 350-foot buffer.

Tara Meyer, a representative for AmeriCanna Dream, said $1 million worth of improvements will be made to the vacant building and property.

The store will hire approximately 30 full-time employees, Meyer said. Business hours will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Meyer said the company expects to generate $500,000 in annualized tax revenue for Crystal Lake. AmeriCanna Dream is expected to be the second cannabis dispensary in McHenry County following Rise in Lake in the Hills, which opened in March.

Lake and McHenry County Scanner is a local breaking news website covering issues that matter such as shootings, stabbings, house fires, kidnappings, car accidents, and more around Lake County and McHenry County.