The Hayden Planning Commission on Thursday is expected to decide whether to recommend allowing marijuana grow facilities to the town council.

The planning commission has discussed the issue twice already and is putting together an ordinance for the town board to possibly consider. They will meet at 7 p.m.

About 30 people attended the most recent meeting on April 23, and eight community members spoke about allowing grows. Some had concerns, and some were supportive. Concerns related to town image, the impact on youth, future water rights and security at the facility and the impact on Hayden’s small police department.

The discussion was prompted by Hayden resident Rodney McGowen wanting to open a grow facility in a building he owns in the Valley View Business Park on the east side of town.

The planning commission on Thursday will look at how near grow facilities may be to child care facilities, parks and schools. According to the town, other Colorado communities have often put in place 500- or 1,000-foot distance requirements.

The Valley View Business Park and areas zoned as light industrial near the airport would meet the 1,000-foot requirement. Light industrial areas in older parts of Hayden would need to be measured to see if they would meet a 500-foot requirement.

The planning commission will also address the issue of odors coming from grow facilities.

In the proposed rules, grow operators would be required to put odor controls in place so a person with a normal sense of smell would not be able to detect the smell from the exterior of the building, in the surrounding neighborhood or by adjacent tenants.

To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247, email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @SBTStensland