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. 

Commemorative vs Festive

Commemorative flags up for July 4th, main flag at half-staff to honor Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Clement, US Navy, a Massachusetts native

After almost 15 years -- with 14 of them being a constant battle -- I'm a little embarrassed to admit this morning was the first time I read the 2002 Annual Town Report entry for our illustrious Select Board, probably written by then Town Manager Barry Del Castilho.

 Click to enlarge/read

Now it somewhat makes sense one of the (less flag hating) arguments used to keep the 29 commemorative flags down for a dozen of the 9/11 anniversaries since that stunning day:  The misconception that the commemorative flags are "festive".

And obviously 9/11 is as far from festive as one can possible get.

But if the flags were always intended to be "festive" why was Memorial Day included in the original six days our Select Board came up with at that infamous meeting only 12 hours before two planes streaked out of clear blue sky, impaling the most prominent buildings in the New York skyline?

Because Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have laid down their lives to keep us free.  So that too is not exactly "festive."

Main Street, USA

As we slowly slide closer and closer to the 15th anniversary of that still unbelievable morning, all it takes (for me at least) is a typical gorgeous sun splashed summer day, or perhaps the ringing of church bells, to momentarily bring me back to that horrible, horrible time.

But perhaps the presence of those flags -- now down to 21 -- will inspire some of the thousands of college aged youth flocking to our little town for the first time to pause for a brief moment, to ponder the joys of life we take for granted.

Something horrifically snatched from 3,000 innocent souls, who were simply going about their business on a late summer morning that started out ever so routine.

  Our State #1 for flag lowering

A Question of Priorities (Sort Of)

Police Station was derided as "too big"; Town Hall renovation "too expensive."

The picture of what four major building projects looming on the not so distant horizon will look like is quickly developing -- like one of those classic Polaroid instant photos -- and the results are nothing less than shocking.

At the Finance Committee meeting Wednesday night members engaged in a one hour discussion of the BIG picture i.e. an overview of all four projects, something that has not been done to date.

 Finance Committee.  Kay Moran's final meeting (out with a bang)

Co-acting chief financial officer Claire McGinnis filled in the Town Meeting financial advisers with the latest dollar figures that Amherst will need to come up with exclusive of the state money involved with the Library expansion and new Mega School.

The projected grand total is a whopping $105.5 million dollars, or one-tenth of a BILLION:  $33 million each for the new elementary school and DPW building.  $22 million for the new South Fire Station.  And $17.5 million for the Jones Library expansion.

Although Library Director Sharon Sharry puts the number at $20 million of town money with the Library attempting to raise $5 million in private fund raising.

Finance Committee member Steve Braun lamented the current state of affairs saying the process has been "skewed" by the state grants and the two projects (Library & School) involved have -- almost unfairly -- gone to the head of the line.

Others joined in, complaining that "affordability for the average taxpayer" has not been an overall priority and each individual project seems to act like they are the only project.  Kind of like those college professors who piled on work like they were the only course you were taking.

Outgoing Finance Committee Chair Kay Moran said, "It will come down to which projects the people wish to pay for."

That supposes of course that all four will be put to the voters as an Override, but that may not necessarily be the case.  Town Meeting twice approved Overrides for Town Hall renovations 20 years ago and both times the voters said "no".

Town meeting then went ahead and did it anyway by use of borrowing, which also required a two-thirds vote, but bypassed the voters.

The American Way

Land off Moody Bridge Road/South Maple Street, Hadley

The guaranteed way to preserve a scenic view is to buy it. And as long as you don't use tax dollars that come out of everybody -- even those who don't like scenic views -- conservatives have no problem with it.

For instance, over a 100 neighbors in North Amherst signed a petition article for the town to take the Cherry Hill Golf Course by eminent domain thirty years ago and we ended up paying $2.2 million ($4.4 million in today's dollars) simply to avoid a 134 unit high end housing development around the golf course.

Cherry Hill absorbs a lot of sun, and tax dollars

Since then the municipally operated white elephant golf business has gone on to squander over $1 million in operations.

But the plea to save the beautiful open space in our neighboring farm town will use privately donated money, and the land has nothing to do with the luxurious game of golf.

So I wish them well.

 Click to enlarge/read

Seeking Solutions

APD arresting intoxicated homeless man at CVS for trespassing this afternoon

In addition to being a danger to themselves homeless people suffering from substance abuse tie up our first responders, making them unavailable for a more serious need -- not that intoxication or drug O.D. is not a medical emergency.  

 Yesterday AFD had to treat a 62-year-old man at APD HQ who was assaulted by a homeless man

When APD makes an arrest for trespassing, disorderly conduct or assault and battery it only takes the arresting officer out of action for a short while.

But when AFD has to transport to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, which happens all too frequently, those two firefighters are out of service for an hour.

And these days we only have 7 total on duty.

Friday morning 6:00 AM

Last Minute Development Tweak

One East Pleasant within close proximity of (5 story) Kendrick Place (top right)

 Carriage shops sold to Archipelago for $4.6 million and will soon be demolished

Archipelago Investments who brought us a bunch of five story places -- Kendrick Place, Boltwood Place, Olympia Place -- have a (sort of) do over Special Permit request going before the Planning Board later next month.

 Boltwood Place, town center

Olympia Place near UMass

Essentially it's only a tweak as they are not asking for any real physical changes in height or coverage for their proposed One East Pleasant Street, but simply a reshuffling of units in the building as well as an increase in green space.

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   One East Pleasant July 2016

If Vince O'Connor's zoning article mandating 10% affordable units for any project requiring even the slightest use of a Special Permit had passed Town Meeting last month this current proposal would have been impacted, thereby requiring ten of the 135 units be "affordable."

Gothic Renewal

32 North Prospect Street, Amherst town center

It will be interesting to see if the usual NIMBY suspects turn out for the June 30th  Zoning Board of Appeals Special Permit hearing on 32 North Prospect Street, located in a residential neighborhood, but about as close as you can get to being in the actual downtown.

The historic beauty is currently owned by the legendary Hastings family, who founded A.J. Hastings, Inc in town center over 100 years ago.

 A.J. Hastings, Inc  45 South Pleasant Street, town center

 Click to enlarge/read

The proposed project would leave the beautiful building intact although doubling occupancy to two dwelling units (currently the house is a "one family" unit); and perhaps more controversial, constructing a new 4,700 square foot two-story structure out back housing an additional four dwelling units.

Thus the town gains an additional five units of badly needed housing within (sleep) walking distance of the downtown business core, which will directly benefit A.J. Hastings, Inc and all our starving restaurants.

And the sacred "Master Plan" that everyone seems to love quoting does call for this exact type of infill. The Design Review Board and Historical Commission have already supported the project.

   32 North Prospect Street: Hist. Summary