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Date: 4/11/2019
CHICOPEE – There were two recent developments in the establishment of recreational cannabis sales in the city.
Chicopee is set to be the first community in Hampden County to offer recreational cannabis sales.
The Cannabis Control Commission granted the recreational license to Mass Alternative Care at its medical marijuana dispensary at 1247 East Main St.
Nathan Moreau, spokesman for Mayor Richard Kos, told Reminder Publishing the organization signed its Host Community Agreement last year with the city and was granted its special permit from the City Council.
Moreau said the start of recreational sales is still several weeks away, pending on final inspections of the facility.
The recreational cannabis products will be sold at the same building but in a separate area from the medical marijuana because there are different sales systems and taxation.
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A community outreach presentation was conducted at the Residence Inn Springfield Chicopee on April 4 to present a proposed cannabis dispensary. Robert Patton, chief executive officer of Green Meadows Farm proposed a “medical marijuana treatments center and retail marijuana establishment” at 919 Meadow St.
There were 10 people from the neighborhood in attendance. A letter was sent to all residents abutting the property, as required by law.
It was clear many of the residents had serious concerns about the proposed business.
Green Meadows Farm is a family-owned company based in Essex County, that shifted from organic vegetables to medical marijuana production in 2017. Originally, the company planned to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Chicopee, but with the state’s legalization of recreational marijuana in 2018, the business chose to create a dual purpose facility.
Patton said providing medical marijuana is still the primary mission, though. The facility would have medical consultation rooms and Patton said, “Patients come first.”
Phil Silverman, the attorney for Green Meadows Farm, laid out all of the security surrounding the proposed business. Silverman is an attorney at Vicente Sederberg, a national law firm that specializes in ensuring their clients are compliant with all pertinent cannabis laws.
Silverman told the residents that the Host Community Agreement puts the power with the people in town. Under M.G.L. c. 94G, Section 3(d), any licensed cannabis business has to enter into an agreement with the community in which it is located that spells out the terms of operation.
Silverman described the building as “highly secure” and said cameras would have a 360-degree view of the outside of the building. Interior doors and windows would also have cameras on them and would be secured with an alarm system. On-site personnel would monitor those cameras during operating hours and there would be off-site monitoring at night. A background check would be required for all employees. Silverman said that they expect to create 10 to 15 new jobs.
Silverman said that in accordance with state law, customers would have to be over 21 years of age and have an ID in order to enter the building. He also explained that there would be no ads or marketing devoted to minors and no edibles shaped like cartoon characters or flavored like fruit. He also said that the product would come in independently tested and packaged.
“It’s a different atmosphere than what you think,” Patton said. He said that it would be more like an upscale pharmacy than a “pot shop.” He cited a California study that says the big growth curve in cannabis is among ages 55 and up while usage among millennials is down.
“It’s helpful to have a local place. You wouldn’t want to drive 30 minutes to a Rite Aid,” Silverman said.
Patton said the facility would be a discreet operation with small signage. Tentatively, the hours would be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days per week with shorter hours on Sundays.
Instead of putting people’s minds at ease, the polished presentation made at least one resident upset.
“It seems like a done deal,” she said, without the neighbors having had any say. Silverman explained that the outreach meeting was just the first step in the process and that the residents of Meadow Street would have ample opportunity to address concerns and give input.
The same resident, who has lived on Meadow St. since 1983, also asked if other locations in Chicopee had been considered. She said she was worried that the two-lane street was too narrow to be usable to residents and Green Meadows’s customers. Some of the people at the meeting questioned whether the location was zoned for the business.
Patton explained that the city had decided to restrict cannabis businesses to industrial zones only, and while one side of Meadow St. is residential, the other side is zoned as industrial. There are other businesses already located there.
In addressing concerns about traffic, Silverman said despite the reports of traffic issues when the first two dispensaries in Massachusetts opened in Northampton and Leicester last year, the traffic issues have subsided. He also pointed out that there are over a dozen dispensaries now open in the state, eliminating a bottleneck of customers.
“We may implement an appointment-only system,” in the beginning, Silverman said. After 30 days he said the curiosity would die down and any traffic issues along with it.
When questioned about why Green Meadows opening its business in Chicopee. Patton also said that the city had sent out a request for proposals for cannabis businesses. The proposal process took place from July through Aug. 2018.
One man was angry that he hadn’t been aware of the request for proposals or the zoning, to which Patton responded that the company had nothing to do with those processes.
“Get ready to find another place,” he said repeatedly.
About half the people in attendance were vocally adamant that they didn’t want the business in their neighborhood.
Many of the residents in attendance were concerned that people would use the products they purchase at Green Meadows before leaving the neighborhood.
“There is no on-site consumption,” Silverman said. “We have a very strict no-tolerance attitude here. We’ll spend a lot of time explaining rules to people.”
One resident asked Silverman, “What’s going to stop them from going around the corner to my house and doing it there?”
“We are,” Silverman answered. He said that if they become aware of any customer using the product near the facility, they would not be welcome back. The resident scoffed.
Many of the people at the meeting expressed concern that the neighborhood was “going downhill” and that the police don’t respond when the residents complain.
“We have a direct pipeline to the police,” said Chris Zawacki, the chief operating officer. “We may have a little more sway with them.”
Patton agreed. He said it was abundantly clear that the people in the neighborhood weren’t happy with the response to their concerns from the city.
“[The city will] have to listen. You can say ‘you invited them in here,’” Patton said referring to any issues that may arise in response to the marijuana business.
“Generally responsible businesses make neighborhoods better,” said Silverman.
Zawacki said that tax revenue generated from the local cannabis industry have to be used for direct impacts from the business.
“Honestly, I respect everyone’s opinions. We want to make sure everybody’s voice is heard and respected,” said Zawacki.