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Roslindale's first pot shop approved by city; now gets tossed on pile with all the other approved plans awaiting state action
By adamg on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 3:08pm
The Zoning Board of Appeal yesterday approved a Williamstown company's plans to convert City Farm on American Legion Highway into what would be Roslindale's first dispensary.
The proposed shop, which would sell both recreational and medical marijuana, now goes to the state Cannabis Control Commission for its review and possible approval.
The commission has so far approved 33 recreational-marijuana shops in the state, but none in Boston, its largest city. The closest is a shop in Brookline Village, just on the other side of the Muddy River.
Silver Therapeutic's proposal calls for partially retaining one of the nursery's existing greenhouses to turn it into a "demonstration greenhouse," in which people interested in what Silver attorney Mike Ross called "lucrative careers" in marijuana cultivation can learn the skills they need. Silver Therapeutics CEO Josh Silver said the new greenhouse would look more like "a warehouse with a translucent ceiling" than the glass greenhouses that still dot that stretch of American Legion Highway.
The proposed shop would have 22 parking spaces. Silver plans to renovate the existing "barn-like" building for use as a salesroom and offices, with the entrance in the rear.
Silver signed a required host agreement with the city in October and has a "good neighbor" agreement with the Mt. Hope Canterbury Neighborhood Association for the shop, which would be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, Ross said.
Both the mayor's office and the office of City Councilor Andrea Campbell supported the proposal at the hearing. Nobody rose to oppose it.
One of the owners of the company is Bruce Bickerstaff, who resigned his seat on the zoning board in September after Mayor Walsh issued an edict banning city employees - including members of unpaid boards - from working for companies seeking permission to open marijuana facilities. In addition to Ross - a former city councilor - and Bickerstaff, the company has hired former BPD Superintendent Joseph Harris as a security consultant.
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Comments
What about the one by Green T?
Is that still being pondered?
Yep... over 3 years
Clearly the CCC gets paid by the hour.
im 100% for legalization
but my gut says this location is a REALLY bad idea
Why?
It's on a "highway" that already has lots of curb cuts for stores, so how would this make things worse?
I'm assuming, of course, that by the time this actually gets final approval, there will be far more pot shops around than there are now, so there's not going to be the rush from all over eastern Mass. to get there.
This is a family residential
This is a family residential neighborhood and does not need this with a elementary school across the road.
The elementary school is not "across the road"
It's some distance from the site.
How would you get there?
I’d be delighted to see any cannabis store actually open within the city limits. But this location is nowhere near any subway or train stop, and served by the most useless bus line, the 14 bus, in Roslindale. According to the MBTA website, it’s a tortuous 38 minute bus ride from the only subway station it serves, Jackson Square, with only 16 trips a day.
And, there would only be 22 parking spaces.
If you really wanted to take the T there
Take the 32 from Forest Hills to the stop after the Blakemore Street Bridge, aka "Hyde Park Avenue opposite Mount Hope Street." From there, cross the street, and walk down Mount Hope Street. At the first light (American Legion Highway) take a right. It's a very short walk down the road. The 32 is the most frequent and most used bus line going south/west out of Forest Hills.
Also, there is street parking. Of all my trips to City Farm (happy retirement- you will be missed) I always parked on the street.
Tough on those using medical marijuana
Someone using marijuana for joint issues or nausea from chemo or etc, etc, etc will have a hard time, even with a short half mile walk.
True
But this intends to be a recreational location. Downtown would be the most T friendly location for medical, and there are locations there right now (or at least I believe there are.)