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Date: 8/16/2023
PALMER — The Planning Board voted 3-2 to recommend an increase in the number of cannabis retailers from three to four. This decision came after an Aug. 7 public hearing.
However, the Town Council has the final say on the ordinance change.
Planning Board Chair Michael Marciniec said the current rules need to limit the number of host community agreements. He worries about the legal costs if the town denies a host agreement to an applicant already in the approval process.
Though the board wanted five host agreements, the Town Council only approved three. One of these led to Silver Therapeutics.
Silver Therapeutics, located at 1235 Thorndike St., opened on June 5. It’s the only recreational cannabis shop in town.
Town Planner Linda Leduc said that while eight host agreements had been issued in the past, several projects have fallen through.
Attorney James McMahon, representing ADMass 4 LLC, addressed the board and offered revised language to amend the current ordinance. ADMass 4 owns 1140 Thorndike St. and has an agreement with the prospective cannabis retailer Green Gold Group.
McMahon highlighted discrepancies in the current system, stating, “The board has granted four special permits, and the town has issued four host community agreements, but the zoning code permits only three retailers.”
He emphasized the need for clarity in the town’s cannabis retail definitions.
He explained the detailed process to become a licensed marijuana retailer, noting that only Silver Therapeutics has reached the final stage in Palmer. Three other locations, including 1140 Thorndike, are still under construction.
McMahon described the situation as a “race to the finish line.” He urged a more concrete retailer definition anchored in a host agreement and a special permit. It would allow the town to control the number of retailers better.
The amended language would limit Palmer to four cannabis retailers at one time. The shop owner’s special permit and host agreement must be in good standing.
In addition, applicants must possess copies of all required state permits and licenses issued by the Cannabis Control Commission and Department of Public Health and the town of Palmer, “including but not limited to a fully executed Host Community Agreement for the relevant license type(s) and address of the premises.”
McMahon stressed the readiness of ADMass 4 to move forward with their project and supported the changes to the zoning codes.
McMahon proposed ordinance changes, setting a clear line between medical and recreational retailers and limiting them to four at any time. The new proposal also mandates a site plan submission from retailers for town assessment.
Board member Scott Day asked about the decision to restrict dispensaries mainly to business-highway zones. Fellow member Michael Dee said there was “still headroom for growth” if a dispensary failed.
Dee stated later that the cannabis market had become saturated, and businesses continued to fail. He disagreed with some of the amended language and voted “no” along with Day.
McMahon underscored the limited retail space, current economic conditions, and zoning bylaws as potential deterrents to cannabis retailers. Three out of four cannabis business applicants statewide fail to open.
Later in the hearing, McMahon proposed capping the number of cannabis retailers at four or 20% of Palmer’s total package stores, with existing compliant holders to be grandfathered.
Leduc countered, saying the number of package stores is below the proposed 20% threshold. She added that such caps might unduly constrain the town manager, the signer of the host agreements.