The Pocomoke City Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3-1 Wednesday night to approve a request for relief from the city’s 500-foot separation requirement, clearing the way for a proposed cannabis dispensary at 1621 Ocean Highway, the former Plaza Tapatia and Bonanza Steakhouse property.
The application was submitted by Shreif Shata, doing business as Guru Ventures, for a proposed dispensary that would operate as Summit Wellness.
During the hearing, Kal Shah, CEO of Guru Ventures and owner/operator of Summit Wellness Cannabis Dispensary in Catonsville, presented the proposal on behalf of the ownership group. Shah said the proposed location is approximately 324 feet from the property line of New Beginnings Outreach Ministries, although the buildings themselves are approximately 502 feet apart.
The dispensary would operate under a dual license allowing both medical and adult-use cannabis sales.
Applicant highlights experience and investment plans
Shah told the board he has been involved in Maryland’s cannabis industry for nearly a decade and currently operates dispensaries in Catonsville and Greenbelt.
He said Guru Ventures is the only newly licensed dispensary in Worcester County in the past nine years and plans to completely renovate the long-vacant building, including improvements to both the interior and exterior, creating what he described as a modern, professional dispensary.
Shah estimated the business would initially employ 20 to 30 people, with the potential for additional hiring as the business grows.
He also projected annual sales between $5 million and $10 million, noting that Maryland’s legal cannabis market generated more than $1.16 billion in sales during fiscal year 2025.
Security and operations discussed
Board members questioned Shah extensively about security, traffic, and preventing cannabis from reaching minors.
Shah said the dispensary would comply with Maryland’s extensive cannabis regulations, including:
- Electronic ID verification for every customer at every visit.
- Purchase limits established by state law.
- Child-resistant packaging.
- State-mandated seed-to-sale inventory tracking.
- Approximately 50 surveillance cameras with at least 90 days of recorded footage stored on-site.
He also told the board that none of his existing dispensaries have experienced an armed robbery during nearly nine years of operation.
The proposed site would also include new fencing and significant exterior improvements.
Community concerns raised
During public comment, Dr. Lynn Duffy, a Pocomoke resident who identified as a business owner, licensed counselor and ordained minister, expressed concerns about substance abuse in the community and questioned whether the proposed location was appropriate given future development planned for the area.
Duffy said she was not completely opposed to a dispensary but believed it would be better located farther outside the city.
Worcester County Commissioner Caryn Abbott also addressed the board, urging members to consider whether the property represented the “highest and best use” for the site.
Abbott argued the board should weigh the proposal against the city’s long-term comprehensive plan and future mixed-use development goals, suggesting there were other commercial locations that could accommodate a dispensary without being located near an existing church.
She also questioned whether the city would receive enough financial benefit to offset potential infrastructure, traffic and public safety responsibilities.
Board discusses separation requirement
Board members questioned staff about the exact distance between the proposed dispensary and the church property.
Planning Director Kristen Tremblay said staff estimated the separation between the property lines to be between 315 and 350 feet using GIS mapping, noting that a formal survey had not been completed.
The board also discussed whether to postpone a decision until its August meeting to gather additional information. During deliberations, members considered the property’s unusual shape, the lack of opposition from the church during the hearing, and the relatively small difference between the required separation distance and the actual distance.
Following deliberations, the Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3-1 to approve the requested relief from the city’s 500-foot separation requirement, allowing the project to move forward through the city’s remaining approval process.
