Saturday, July 2, 2016

Pot Dispensary Local Hurdles Cleared

55 University Drive:  From wings to medical marijuana

Mass Alternative Care became the first of four competing medical marijuana dispensaries to receive their Special Permit from the Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday night, with some conditions that they will no doubt meet.

Their facility is located at 55 University Drive, the former location of the Hanger Pub & Grill (who moved across the street), and they will share the building with Hospice Care thrift shop.  

Mass Alternative Care was second to acquire their Letter of Support from the Amherst Select Board and second to apply for their Special Permit with the ZBA.


169 Meadow St RMD site for GTI

The 3rd company to gain Select Board support, GTI, is proposing a dispensary at 169 Meadow Street in North Amherst, but they were first to appear before the ZBA.   Their Special Permit hearing, however, was continued to July 21st.

Their attorney, Tom Reidy, thought the reason Mass Alternative Care got their Special Permit in only a one night hearing is because they already have their Provisional Certificate of Registration with the Department of Public Health, something his clients will have by the their next appearance before the ZBA.

 Rich Slobody (maroon shirt) APD Chief Scott Livingstone (back left)

In the audience Thursday night, besides attorney Reidy, two other stakeholders from other pot dispensaries watched the proceedings:  Rich Slobody, who is building a 2,000 square foot facility at 85 University Drive for MassMedicum, who was the first non profit to garner Select Board approval.

 85 University Drive under construction for MassMedicum

 Attorney Tom Reidy (back left) Mass Alternative Care CEO Kevin Collins (front left)

And Jerry Jolly who owns Rafters (the business but not the building) at the corner of University Drive and Amity Street which was the 4th location to receive Select Board approval.

 Rafters has been a local landmark for 25 years proposed site for Happy Valley Ventures

Happy Valley Ventures would demolish the current building and perhaps build an additional building on the property but seems to have no plans to keep Rafters on site.

If Mass Alternative Care now goes on to acquire a state license they plan to commence cultivation in November and start selling the medicinal products in Amherst by July, 2017.

The ZBA must make a determination that a facility "meets a demonstrated need" thus the 4th entity to go before them could find the need has been met by the previous three.

Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner told the Select Board Amherst's medical marijuana market is estimated at $10 million annually, and could generate $250,000 to the town via Host Community Agreements.

A voluminous winning proposal (must have been the aerial cover shot)

Obviously if Massachusetts voters pass the referendum question on November 8th to legalize recreational use of marijuana, the Amherst market e-x-p-a-n-d-s exponentially. 

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

So much for Federal law -- and when this provohes the Second Civil War, well, sucks to be you, Amhrrst....

Dr. Ed said...

I'm thinking what an unlimited supply of pot would do to Amherst....and smiling.

Larry Kelley said...

Can't possibly be any worse than an unlimited supply of alcohol.

Dr. Ed said...

Two words: Gin Alley.

There is not an unlimited supply of ETOH, it is actually quite restricted, and I don't believe that Everclear is even legal in this state.

Anonymous said...

Ed, you wish everyone ill, which says nothing good about you.

Anonymous said...

Smoke-em if you got-em roll-em if you don't........Amen.

Dr. Ed said...

No,only Amherst & UMass.

Anonymous said...

How do you feel Eddie about the town you live in....in maine? Still no answer to our burning questions about your degrees?

Anonymous said...

You are right Ed. It will definitely change Amherst. We will have a huge influx of tax revenue.

Dr. Ed said...

And petty theft and related criminal activities.

Anonymous said...

No proof of that. Hasn't happened in Colorado.

Anonymous said...

Eddie's in the space-time continuum?

Dude, what if we are all just one tiny molecule in the fingernail of some larger being

Anonymous said...

Oh no! Not petty theft and related criminal activities! Anything but that! Please, please, I'm begging you. Oh my god! I've heard about this on the internet and here on Kelley's bloog. Is this as bad as the darkness that will befall us if we don't fly the flag at least 37 days a year?

Run for your lives! Everyone, wake up and run for your lives!

Ed, details, we need details. What does the think tank on lunacy and clown feet have to say? Don't hold back.

Anonymous said...

I understand there's a lot of money involved here; but do we really need to "demolish" a local, successful business, leaving 100s of 100s of people dumbfounded, sad and unhappy when there are three whole other empty buildings perfectly capable of pulling in the same amount of money that way?? Hearts (and spirits) will be broken across the Valley and beyond. Demolish Rafters?? That's like demolishing another piece of the heart of our once called "Happy Valley" making Amherst simply less than. Just another town with seemingly no integrity, filled with chains and corporations, lacking flare. Rafters has been a HOME to not only people who still and have worked there, but also to so many locals, not to mention alumni from our 5 College community for 25 years. 25 classes from 5 different local colleges, all let down. I thought Amherst was all about grow local, shop local, support local?
The sun is shining now, but those storm clouds in the background look treacherous and black. Hopefully these clouds will pass right over the top of the rafters that hold up our home.