The City of Batesville Planning Commission this week approved the site and building designs plans for what will be the city’s third medical marijuana dispensary.

Representatives for Tony Barragan and Hybrid Relief presented the details of the new business to commission members at their regular meeting at City Hall Monday afternoon.

Barragan was the first person to receive a permit for a cannabis-related business in the county, and is part owner of a growth facility at the industrial park adjacent to the airport. He also operates a dispensary in Oxford.

Barragan purchased the property at 710 Hwy. 35N earlier this year. Located across the road from Love’s Travel Stop, the convenience store and gas station has been out of business for several years.

Architectural drawings show the awnings, gas tanks, and pumps will be removed and the parking lot redesigned to meet city codes. Signage and color schemes were also approved by the commission at the meeting.

In other Planning Commission news, the board tabled a request from Billy Haire, Jr., to rezone 22 acres located on MLK Drive from R-7 to R-3 to accommodate his plans to sell the land to a developer who wants to build multi-family housing there.

Currently used as agricultural land, the rezoning would allow for the construction of two and three bedroom apartments in a complex on the east side of the road. There are currently several apartment complexes nearby, but the immediate land surrounding the proposed development site has single family dwellings.

Commission members did  not deny the request, but tabled the manner until next month’s meeting to give the appealing property owner an opportunity to gather information and data that would meet the statutory requirements for a rezoning approval.