After about 90 minutes of presentation and discussion the Town Council granted the medical marijuana dispensary in Fountain Hills an additional eight hours of operation each week.

The council split its vote, 4-3, with Vice Mayor Dennis Brown, and Council Members Nick DePorter, Cassie Hansen and Alan Magazine supporting the change. Mayor Linda Kavanagh, and Council Members Henry Leger and Cecil Yates opposed.

It may have been a change of heart on the part of Mark Steinmetz, owner and operator for Natures AZ Medicines, the dispensary in Fountain Hills that prompted the support. Steinmetz had originally asked for and presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission a request that allowed him to open the dispensary between 8 a.m. 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The commission had recommended the council deny that request. However, at the council’s May 21 meeting Steinmetz proposed a change to allow the store to be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week, which is some 28 fewer hours than he originally asked for. This is what the council accepted.

The major difference is now Sunday hours are permitted, which were not allowed previously.

The approval came with a caveat however as all four of those supporting the change told Steinmetz not to come back with another request for an increase while they were serving. They all said they would not support further gains.