Robert Celt
New Member
A nonprofit corporation's plan to open a medical marijuana dispensary on Route 9 is already creating a stir with some residents, without hearing any formal presentation of the plans.
The Commonwealth Cannabis Co., known as CommCan Inc., has a conditional lease for 255 Turnpike Road, next to the Volvo dealership, according to Town Administrator Mark Purple.
The company is seeking a letter of support or non-opposition from selectmen on Tuesday night, which is required under state law. The town's zoning bylaws require a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals to open such a dispensary, Purple said.
On Monday, the company officials announced they've been invited to the third and final phase of the application process with the state's Department of Public Health.
The company has received letters of support for a cultivation facility in Medway and for dispensaries in Millis and Framingham. Southboro would be its third dispensary, according to the application.
Building Commissioner Mark Robidoux says 255 Turnpike Road is in the business highway district, which allows such a dispensary as long as the ZBA grants a special permit and the facility is at least 500 feet from schools and similar uses.
"While it is the applicant's responsibility to prove this, I have provided a scaled map which shows the Neary School approximately 630 feet plus or minus away from the proposed site," he wrote in a memo to Purple.
Dispensaries are also allowed in industrial park and industrial district, he wrote.
Before even formally hearing the plans, Marnie Hoolahan, of 26 Clifford Road, has started an online petition on change.org for selectmen to deny the plans. As of 4 p.m. Friday, 173 signatures had been added.
"This application suggests to position a medical marijuana dispensary just outside the 500 feet area of Neary Elementary and Trottier (Middle) schools," she wrote. "This is far too close to the proximity bylaw and poses significant risks to the safety of our children and our upstanding community. Additionally, school bus stops, including stops on Deerfoot Road and Clifford fall within 500 feet. We do not see the benefit to our town of allowing a medical dispensary in this area when the proximity to our schools is so close."
In December, Hopkinton selectmen voted 3-0 to deny an application by CommCan to open in town. An exact location was not identified. Hopkinton selectmen Chairman Ben Palleiko said a dispensary does not fit the "brand" of the town, which is family-oriented, focused on schools and known as being the starting line of the Boston Marathon.
CommCan CEO Marc Rosenfeld at the time argued Hopkinton overwhelmingly voted in favor of the ballot question in 2012, which legalized medical marijuana. Attorney Valerio Romano said dispensaries have a number of benefits, including providing valuable medicine to the patients and bringing up to 15 jobs to town.
On Friday, Romano said his clients put in a lot of thought into finding a good location for the dispensary. He said he represents multiple similar nonprofits across the state and has dealt with many "knee-jerk" reactions" about medical marijuana.
"It is definitely a matter of educating people about the medical marijuana program in Massachusetts," he said. "It is about helping people with cancer, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating conditions. It is really hard to be against helping those people."
In her opposition to the proposal, Hoolahan urged selectmen to deny the dispensary.
"It is in our right as citizens of Southboro to deny the applicant of support and special town permit to establish a medical marijuana dispensary. In fact a dispensary was approved on Route 9 in Framingham and I would encourage that we defer to that location as the 'Metrowest/Rte. 9' dispensary," she wrote.
Hoolahan also opposes a 40B housing development proposed at Park Central, an office park off Rte. 9.
"We have endured so much and we have an outstanding issue regarding the development of a very large scale 40B development behind Red Roof that will dramatically impact the volume of children and the safety of our children in this residential area," she wrote in the petition.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Dispensary Creates A Stir In Southboro
Author: Jonathan Phelps
Contact: Telegram.com
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Telegram.com
The Commonwealth Cannabis Co., known as CommCan Inc., has a conditional lease for 255 Turnpike Road, next to the Volvo dealership, according to Town Administrator Mark Purple.
The company is seeking a letter of support or non-opposition from selectmen on Tuesday night, which is required under state law. The town's zoning bylaws require a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals to open such a dispensary, Purple said.
On Monday, the company officials announced they've been invited to the third and final phase of the application process with the state's Department of Public Health.
The company has received letters of support for a cultivation facility in Medway and for dispensaries in Millis and Framingham. Southboro would be its third dispensary, according to the application.
Building Commissioner Mark Robidoux says 255 Turnpike Road is in the business highway district, which allows such a dispensary as long as the ZBA grants a special permit and the facility is at least 500 feet from schools and similar uses.
"While it is the applicant's responsibility to prove this, I have provided a scaled map which shows the Neary School approximately 630 feet plus or minus away from the proposed site," he wrote in a memo to Purple.
Dispensaries are also allowed in industrial park and industrial district, he wrote.
Before even formally hearing the plans, Marnie Hoolahan, of 26 Clifford Road, has started an online petition on change.org for selectmen to deny the plans. As of 4 p.m. Friday, 173 signatures had been added.
"This application suggests to position a medical marijuana dispensary just outside the 500 feet area of Neary Elementary and Trottier (Middle) schools," she wrote. "This is far too close to the proximity bylaw and poses significant risks to the safety of our children and our upstanding community. Additionally, school bus stops, including stops on Deerfoot Road and Clifford fall within 500 feet. We do not see the benefit to our town of allowing a medical dispensary in this area when the proximity to our schools is so close."
In December, Hopkinton selectmen voted 3-0 to deny an application by CommCan to open in town. An exact location was not identified. Hopkinton selectmen Chairman Ben Palleiko said a dispensary does not fit the "brand" of the town, which is family-oriented, focused on schools and known as being the starting line of the Boston Marathon.
CommCan CEO Marc Rosenfeld at the time argued Hopkinton overwhelmingly voted in favor of the ballot question in 2012, which legalized medical marijuana. Attorney Valerio Romano said dispensaries have a number of benefits, including providing valuable medicine to the patients and bringing up to 15 jobs to town.
On Friday, Romano said his clients put in a lot of thought into finding a good location for the dispensary. He said he represents multiple similar nonprofits across the state and has dealt with many "knee-jerk" reactions" about medical marijuana.
"It is definitely a matter of educating people about the medical marijuana program in Massachusetts," he said. "It is about helping people with cancer, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating conditions. It is really hard to be against helping those people."
In her opposition to the proposal, Hoolahan urged selectmen to deny the dispensary.
"It is in our right as citizens of Southboro to deny the applicant of support and special town permit to establish a medical marijuana dispensary. In fact a dispensary was approved on Route 9 in Framingham and I would encourage that we defer to that location as the 'Metrowest/Rte. 9' dispensary," she wrote.
Hoolahan also opposes a 40B housing development proposed at Park Central, an office park off Rte. 9.
"We have endured so much and we have an outstanding issue regarding the development of a very large scale 40B development behind Red Roof that will dramatically impact the volume of children and the safety of our children in this residential area," she wrote in the petition.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Dispensary Creates A Stir In Southboro
Author: Jonathan Phelps
Contact: Telegram.com
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Telegram.com
