ZBA Hearings for Medical Marijuana Dispensary Proposals in Davis Square

[lancedavisward6.livejournal.com]

(EDIT 1-30-17: BOTH dispensary applications have been continued to the Februrary 15th ZBA meeting)

Update on medical marijuana dispensary proposals for Davis Square (one would be in the Family Dollar site, the other would be on the basement level of the bfresh building):

BOTH proposals are scheduled to be heard by the Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday, February 1, 6:00 at City Hall (Aldermanic Chambers), though stay tuned because there’s a chance one or both will be continued to a later meeting date.  These are Public Hearings so anyone wishing to speak in favor of, or opposition to, either proposal (details below, with links to all plans) will have that opportunity.

Note that the Garden Remedies applicant (Family Dollar site) submitted a plan that is slightly revised from the one that they presented at the neighborhood meeting (see the links under 245 Elm St. below). The key difference is that there is only a double door on the street-front, as opposed to taking up half of the street-front. I'm told that this is consistent with the "original" plan that they submitted to the city when they first applied for a letter of non-opposition.  However, this may or may not address people's concerns as the proposal still occupies the bulk of the overall space, leaving only a smaller space (1228 sq. ft.) for a subtenant in this key location.

240 Elm Street, Ward 6: Applicant, Sage Cannabis, Inc., and Owner, Davis Square Realty Ventures Nominee Trust, seek a Special Permit under SZO §7.15 and §9.13 to establish a Medical Marijuana Facility in the basement of the building. CBD Zone and Medical Marijuana Overlay District.

Basement plan:
http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Basement%20Plan%2011%2003%2016.pdf

Traffic Memo:
http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Traffic%20Memo%2011-15-16.pdf

Signs:
http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/161230%20SAGE_Signage%20240%20Elm%20St.pdf

(Draft) Planning Staff Report: http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/rnd/Elm%20St%20240%20Staff%20Report.pdf


245 Elm Street, Ward 6: Applicant, Garden Remedies, Inc., and Owners, Dana Family Realty Trust and RMD, Sr. Realty Trust, seek a Special Permit under SZO §7.15 to establish a Medical Marijuana Facility in the ground level and basement of the building. CBD Zone and Medical Marijuana Overlay District.

Floor plans and elevations:
http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Floor%20Plans%20and%20Elevations.pdf

Transportation Memo:
http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Transportation_Memo_HSH_2017-1-09.pdf

Photo Simulations: http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Photo%20Sims.pdf

(Draft) Planning Staff Report: http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/rnd/Elm%20St%20245%20Staff%20Report_0.pdf

Comments

[keithn.livejournal.com]

I would be absolutely amazed if either of these were approved. The city is highly resistant to even granting new liquor licenses in Davis Square, and it took Tenoch of all places months of dealing with red tape and resistance from people who resist new things literally as a hobby. I 100% expect that either of these establishments would seek to become a distributor to the general public once selling for non-medical purposes is legal next year. I expect these proposals to fly like a lead balloon.

That said, I would support at least one of them. My biggest complaint is that the blanked out windows of Garden Remedies gives the vibe of an adult video store. I would hope there's a better design that the one presented.

[ron_newman]

I fully support the proposal for 240 Elm Street, as it would be unobtrusive by being fully below street level. I'd support the other one (Family Dollar) only if they can make their first-floor square footage considerably smaller, and the subtenant square footage correspondingly larger.

[kelkyag]

What if they put unrelated displays in their window space, like the Inside Out Gallery?

[ron_newman]

That would be nice, but I'd still like to see a real tenant besides the dispensary, with enough space to be a viable and separate business.

[teko.livejournal.com]

A lot of the resistance against Tenoch came from their next-door neighbors, and I found a lot of the arguments they presented to be borderline offensive. The city seems to be in support of these facilities but a lot will depend on how Meju and The Burren feel about having a marijuana dispensary as a neighbor. As Ron says, the 240 Elm location is unobtrusive enough that I imagine it'll have the least resistance. You're correct that Garden Remedies will almost certainly become a recreational retail store once that's allowed -- I think that's part of the plan they've presented.

[gingicat]

How large does such a shop need to be? I was thinking it would be as small or smaller than the tobacconist in Medford Square.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I'd think a lot of Garden Remedies' proposal would hinge on who the secondary tenant in that space would be; to my mind, even though they have the value of experience and a well researched traffic/parking plan, that gap might hurt them more than anything. That, and choosing to design their facade in joyless all-black.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

If we get either or both of these, we're going to need some of those defunct fro-yo places back.

[kelkyag]

That all of the plan links point to the theoretically outdated "archive" version the somervillema.gov website is not reassuring as to how functional the new version is.

[guthmeister.livejournal.com]

I know aesthetics are a secondary concern on this issue, but, as I understand it, marijuana retailers won't be allowed to open until the second half of 2018. So residents of Davis Square will spend the next 18 months staring at the post-Dollar Store's huge, empty storefront in the heart of the Square. Our community finally got the eyesore of the former-social security building fixed up and now we have another gaping wound on Elm Street that brings down the energy and vibrancy of the entire block. Sigh.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

Right now they are applying for a medical marijuana dispensary license and selling medical marijuana is already legal. They could open immediately. Have they said they won't open until the second half of 2018? I haven't read through all the documents.

[guthmeister.livejournal.com]

That's my understanding from what I've read in the Globe and heard on the news. I can't easily put my hands on the documentation, but I'd love to be wrong!

[teko.livejournal.com]

According to this article (http://somerville.wickedlocal.com/news/20161202/davis-square-one-step-closer-to-medical-marijuana-dispensaries), Garden Remedies is looking to open this summer if approved.

[lancedavisward6.livejournal.com]

Both Sage and Garden Remedies are *medical* marijuana dispensaries. That is all that is allowed under current law. They would open, if approved by the ZBA and the Commonwealth, in the next few months (as noted above). The law allowing recreational retail stores is still very much in flux as we wait to see how Beacon Hill implements it. Yes, the ballot question did have a provision that would give medical dispensaries a step up in the process but that may or may not remain once the State regulations are in place. There will also be a thorough city-level process to determine how to implement the law in Somerville.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

If anyone is interested, here's how Ward 6 and precinct 6-1 (where both proposed dispensaries would be located) voted on the medical marijuana question in 2012 and the general marijuana legalization question in 2016:

Medical Marijuana Initiative in 2012 (Question 3):
Ward 6: 79.7% yes, 16.2% no
Precinct 6-1: 81.5% yes, 15% no

General Marijuana Legalization Initiative in 2016 (Question 4):
Ward 6: 78.8% yes, 19.6% no
Precinct 6-1: 79.9% yes, 18.4% no

Of course experience shows that there isn't a really solid link between "we should have X" and "we should have X in my neighborhood."

Sources:
2012 - http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/OfficialElectionTotals-11-6-2012.pdf
2016 - http://archive.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/election%20totals_2.pdf