A farmer trying to open a shop in Dahlonega’s town square is now fighting city hall over his sign.
Henry Ostaszewski already operates a successful 10-acre hemp farm. Now, he’s ready to expand and open up a shop in downtown Dahlonega.
He says that city leaders originally said everything was fine for his hemp store, but then they changed their minds.
“It’s a success, but there’s definitely some hurdles and barriers,” Ostaszewski said. “It has that small-town mentality, everyone is friendly and welcoming.”
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He showed Channel 2′s Dave Huddleston the floor plan and told him that everything was going well to open this spring until he submitted a sketch of what the outside sign would look like it. It says “blue 42 market, cannabis, coffee USA.”
But that’s when everything went wrong. He got a permit saying he could install the sign. But later got another letter that said the sign was denied. Why? The word “cannabis,” and that gold image in the middle depicts a hemp flower or bud.
“I’m going to appeal this, obviously, I have an attorney and we will appeal this and find the reasons they say it doesn’t meet their community standards,” Ostaszewski said
WSB-TV emailed the mayor. She responded, “Our city, like almost all cities, has a normal appeals process which has not been used. I really don’t have any comments, but thank you for your inquiry.”
Ostaszewksi says he wanted to be transparent about what he’s selling.
“We want to put what we’re selling, we’re selling the flower and the plant, and we’re using it many different ways,” Ostaszewski said.
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So far there is no date for the appeal. Ostaszewski says that pushes opening the business back until the fall at the earliest.
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