SUNLAND PARK, NEW MEXICO (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 After hours of debate and public comment, Sunland Park City Council once again failed to approve special use permits for two proposed cannabis dispensaries, leaving both projects on hold.<\/p>\n
Mayor Javier Parea said city rules required a majority vote of the seven-member governing body. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo current stature requires zoning issues to use, it required a majority of the governing body because I have a council of six and seven with the mayor governing body of seven. And it requires four votes in the affirmative. We did not get the four votes in the affirmative,\u201d Parea said.<\/p>\n
It was the second time the council denied the request.<\/p>\n
RELATED: Dispensary plan rejection may delay Sunland Park entertainment complex, say developers<\/a><\/p>\n For Station X, the council vote was one abstention, three in favor and two against.<\/p>\n For the Cronica dispensary, the vote was two abstentions, one against and two in favor, with the mayor adding a yes vote. Even with the mayor\u2019s vote, the measure still did not reach the four affirmative votes needed to move forward.<\/p>\n The dispensaries are operated by Chadcor Holdings New Mexico, an independent cannabis company that says it is not affiliated with any other venue or development project at the site, including Independent Nation, an entertainment venue planned to be built next door. <\/p>\n Chadcor Holdings New Mexico also said the hearing focused strictly on cannabis licensing.<\/p>\n Last year, the council denied similar permits and a redrawing of property lines linked to the project. <\/p>\n Developers with Independent Nation later challenged that decision in court. <\/p>\n In March<\/a>, a district court judge ruled the city failed to properly justify the denial, reversing part of the decision and ordering a new hearing.<\/p>\n