Hearing on proposed Maverick Square pot shop postponed to July

The owners of a marijuana shop proposed for Maverick Square decided not to risk going before a zoning board short one member today and requested and got a deferral until July 9, to make their case before a full, seven-member board.

East Boston Bloom, LLC, had originally gone before the board March 26, but requested a deferral after board members threw up their hands in confusion because the mayor's office had approved both their proposal and one from an out-of-town company for a shop less than a half-mile away, in apparent violation of the city's own requirement that pot shops be at least a half mile apart.

Strictly by chance, the other proposal, on Meridian Street, had come up first on the agenda and the zoning board approved it and then was poised to reject East Boston Bloom over the distance issue when the company asked for a withdrawal so it could make an argument based on the fact the city ordinance measures distances to "existing" marijuana facilities, and neither one has a license from the state to actually operate.

But with only six members present today instead of a full complement of seven, East Boston Bloom's attorney, George Morancy, asked for a second deferral after board Chairwoman Christine Araujo said projects would need a unanimous vote for approval - a 4-2 vote in favor would not be enough and the proposal would be rejected. In contrast, a 5-2 vote with a seven-member board present would mean approval.