TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A marijuana cultivation center under construction in a City of Tonawanda residential neighborhood has sparked opposition from residents who say they weren't adequately heard during the approval process.
For lifelong City of Tonawanda resident Heather LeMar, her backyard holds decades of family memories.
"I grew up in this house. My house is where all the kids go for the summer," Lemar said.
But just beyond her fence, construction is underway on a marijuana cultivation center that was approved by the city's zoning board of appeals last month.
"That's the building. They must be starting because that wasn't there before. My understanding is, it's going to be this building," her neighbors said, pointing to the construction site.
Lemar and her neighbors say they're not against the business, but against it being built in the middle of their neighborhood.
"Nobody's going to want to move in because this is in their backyard," LeMar explained.
WATCH: City of Tonawanda residents oppose marijuana cultivation center in their neighborhood
The project was approved at the September 29 zoning board of appeals meeting.
That approval granted a zoning variance, essentially permission to use a property in a way that's normally not allowed under city code.
Public records requested from city hall show multiple people voiced concerns at three different meetings starting in July; however, the zoning board moved forward with approving the variance despite their concerns.
"We could have gone in there with every reason in the book, and they still would have gone ahead. We feel like their minds were already made up when we got there," one resident said.
Tonawanda Mayor John White and Councilmember Jim Shiesley say they wouldn't want this in their neighborhoods.
When asked if he would have voted for the project's approval, Shiesley said, "No, I would have voted [how] my constituents down there would have wanted."
White said, "Would I want that in my neighborhood if I had kids, probably not, no."
But neither White nor Shiesley had input in the zoning board's final decision, they explained.
"There's no accountability, that is not right, that is not right. We are taxpayers, we support the community any chance we can get. And we're really good neighbors, good to the city, and this is how they repaid us," LeMar said.
Neighbors say they're not giving up, hoping city leaders reconsider how these projects are approved in the future.
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