Boston City TV, MA City of Boston Cannabis Board, 20 Sep 2023

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From YouTube: Boston Cannabis Board - Voting Hearing 9/20/23

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Boston Cannabis Board - Voting Hearing 9/20/23

A

B

Make sure you mute it as you enter.

B

We're just going to give it a moment and let people come in from the waiting room.

B

S one more second.

B

um Right and we're gonna get started good afternoon. This is a hearing before the Boston cannabis board. The BCB today is September 20th 2023.. Today's hearing is being conducted pursuant to start in temporary amendments to the open meeting law. That is what allows us to meet. Virtually this hearing is being recorded and we posted to the city of Boston's website before I review. Some procedural matters I will introduce Cheryl and Kathleen Joyce.

C

Thank you Jasmine. My name is Kathleen Joyce I'm, chair of the Boston cannabis board and today I'm pleased to be joined by my fellow Commissioners commissioner John Smith commissioner Lisa Holmes and commissioner Gabriel Camacho.

B

Thank you, chairwoman, Joyce and my name is Jasmine Nguyen I am the Boston cannabis board manager. We also joined by Allison Quinn, who is the project manager for the BCB? While the public is encouraged to attend, there will be no additional public testimony before I forget. We do have our Cantonese interpreter joining us today. Terry. Thank you. Terry um should I turn on the interpretation now or are you.

D

Gonna I'll make a brief announcement in Cantonese. Thank you, Jasmine um hi everybody. My name is Terry I'll, be your Cantonese interpreter for the BCB meeting today. uh Holidays.

D

Thank you now, Jasmine, you can turn on the interpretation. Thank you. Thank.

B

B

All right, that's all set, um so where did I am so I will read each item into the record, followed by I will read each other into the record, and then there will be comments from the board. Members I will then ask if there's a motion to um The Proposal before us and any questions on the motion, and then there will be a vote.

B

Each board member has the ability to grant grant with conditions defer, reject without prejudice, which means the applicant can return anytime with an application at the same location or reject with prejudice, which means the applicant cannot reapply at the same location. For one year we will begin with amendments to already approved licenses. The applicant is hauling Brands SB LLC. The license premise is 115 K Street, also known as 538 East, 1st Street South Boston. The license type is a retail recreational, cannabis dispensary and the license request is to use the DBA Native Son.

B

Are there any comments from the board members?

B

Seeing no comments. Sharon Rejoice is their emotion, make.

C

A motion to approve the DBA change.

B

C

E

B

Second, second, all in favor, hi and none opposed petition is granted all right. Now we will move to our new license applications. The first applicant we have is Frozen for Court East End, but I mean South End buds. The proposed license premise is 1679 Washington Street, South Bend, the license type is the retail recreational cannabis dispensary license. The Post hours of operation are 8 AM to 10 P.M Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m, to 8 P.M on Sunday. This is a non-equity applicant.

C

Thanks Jasmine um I'm kind of struggling with this one I'm not really sure how to treat it. The the um presentation was in on last Wednesday was I, think thin at best and they have since supplemented their application and their proposal with a lot of materials which um you know, I haven't had a chance to fully um process and synthesize I haven't had a chance to ask questions about what they submitted um and I know with what the augmented materials presented.

C

There might be other questions that my fellow Commissioners had to um just a few things. I know there's a buffer zone here and we received um certified um plans. There's, commissioner,.

B

There's no buffer, though.

C

A

C

Same one, no all right, my apologies! Sorry! We did get. We augmented this one with what the um security plan.

A

Security proposal and.

C

Then what commissioner Smith asked for the uh okay- my apologies there so again, there's certain things that I want to ask with the uh security plan which I didn't have an opportunity to do. Oh, there's no buffer zone, but there was a. There was a challenge to whether or not there was a buffer zone from another um another previous previously approved applicant. That's what it was whether or not the um other place was whether it's 2922 feet, plus or minus, and then the Hurley School issue. So that's what I was thinking about.

C

So um those are my comments, I'm eager to hear what um the other Commissioners think about this one, but I think it was thin. I know they augmented it, but I still have a lot of questions.

B

A

Thank you, Jasmine, um yes, I, agree. I, think that the presentation was a little uneven um I'm. Looking at you know, we just received some additional material. Today from what I'm seeing it looks like the security plan, um the security firm, which looks like Ed Davis, something was to send over something yesterday. So it's like a new like you, have a new um security, firm who's, going to review the security operations plan um from the comments and some of the things we've looked at.

A

It felt as if um the folks were not satisfied with the community process.

A

um Thank you for sending over the supply. Diversity just had a glance at it um in about the past hour, so I appreciate all that, but it did feel very uneven and very much like um like there needs to be more sort of community engagement and a more engaged process there. So I'll leave it at that. For now,.

B

E

Yes, thank you. um I too, found the uh applicants application very thin and um I found that the employment plan lacked a lot of specific details, especially when it comes to recruiting um those impacted by the war on drugs. And how would you go about measuring that recruitment process? What were the goals and Etc uh a job? Fair is not sufficient to um to recruit um workers for the Cannabis industry, especially if you are targeting people of color and those impacted by the War on Drugs um yeah I will stop there.

E

F

I will be recusing myself from this vote due to a conflict.

B

So it's noted that commissioner Holmes is recusing herself.

B

Any other additional comments from the commissioners.

B

No Charming choices, there are a vote. Is there a motion.

C

Yes, that's actually the question on the motion. I know this board under previous iterations have gone back and forth between a deferral and a reject without prejudice which would allow them to come back at any time.

C

um That's kind of where I'm leaning towards um I'm willing to entertain um another opportunity to have them represent and answer questions so I'm leaning towards um deferring the vote at this time and make a motion to defer the vote.

B

Defer the hotel.

C

They can come back at any time to me. There isn't um procedurally a big difference. um I.

B

Know so the difference between a Jew is a deferral, doesn't require them to go back to the community or submit a new application. Obviously you.

C

Just submit a new application: okay.

B

So then that would be a rejection without prejudice.

C

Okay yeah, so the emotion would be to reject without prejudice they could can come back at any time and represent um and I do think they need to go back to the community.

B

Second and all in favor, aye, all right and then so reject without prejudice was mean. The applicant can reapply um they will have to submit a new application and go through the process again community meeting and submit updated materials, and it is noted that commissioner Holmes would choose trust out from the vote right.

B

We will move to the next item. The applicant is tgld3 Inc doing business as the Green Lady dispensary. The proposed license: premise is 130 to 132 Boylston Street downtown. The license type is a retail recreational cannabis dispensary license. The proposed hours of operation are 9, am to 9 00 PM seven days a week. This is a non-equity application. Rejoice.

C

C

I there was they've scored, very low for me on community feedback and public support. I think there was no support from local elected officials and um the support they had um I, don't think it guarded more than for me a very low score in general, um the location we could go back and forth and debate what it means to be an urban college campus, but in my opinion they are surrounded by Emerson College buildings um and to me this is an issue. um I, don't think.

C

There's Safety and Security plan um responds to what I see as an issue. I, don't think running a cannabis establishment in a resort. Community like Nantucket is the same as running a cannabis establishment surrounded by college buildings. uh They didn't say that they would require backup IDs with pictures. I, don't know if that would actually even change my mind, but I definitely think this location will put a strain on police resources um and um majority of the population. There are students under 21.

C

I think this has ramifications on Emerson's um plan in general, as a college institution with roots in the city of Boston, I discredit the fact that Emerson is participating in the beer garden across the street. That was a public process run by the city of Boston and Emerson is one part of that activation um I think in general they are a good business operator and I want to give credit there.

C

But I just don't think this is a good location, no matter how we word Smith, where it is and the impact it will have on the surrounding community.

A

Thanks Jasmine I think we put students in a position.

A

You know I totally agree with uh Truman Joyce I think we put students in a position where, if they are caught with something that is illegal on their campus, you know um the education is in Jeopardy and you know it's it's pretty accessible again, not wordsmithing, whether they're on the campus adjacent to the campus across campus. It seems like they're, pretty campus oriented somewhere.

A

um It's right there, so um I would agree that the location is problematic and so.

D

A

I'll leave it like that.

B

E

Ivory Cruise, you refuse myself from this application.

B

Okay, so it's not at the commissioner commercial recuses himself from this matter, commissioner Holmes.

F

I reiterate what what the chairwoman and my fellow commissioner Smith said: um I think it's a great business plan I like everything about it, it's just the worst possible location they could have. Possibly thought of. So you know with aside for that. The location is just very problematic.

A

B

Joyce is the emotion.

A

You guys need to come up with, like Europe.

C

um Yeah, based upon the comments from the other Commissioners, my motion would be to reject with prejudice.

B

Is there a second commission homes all in favor.

B

So it's noted that the application is rejected with prejudice and is noted that commissioner Camacho has recused himself from the vote. So that means the applicant cannot reapply at this location for one year.

A

B

Move to the next matter, the applicant is Dragon buds, Inc doing business abstract. The proposed license. Premise is 25 to 29 Beach Street Chinatown. The license type is a retail recreational cannabis dispensary license. The proposed hours of operation are 10 a.m, to 9 pm Monday through Saturday and 11 A.M to 7 pm on Sunday. This is the non-equity applicant and there is a buffer zone conflict with another cannabis establishment challenges.

C

My only comments are I really didn't think this was a strong application in any category.

B

Commissioner, Smith.

A

Thanks Jasmine.

A

I'm gonna go back and say it felt like we were putting in a cannabis shop to really support housing, um but then the overwhelming over just overwhelming reaction to you know what folks wanted to see their Community. You know what people wanted to see in their Community was was a lot to overcome and I. Don't think that that the presentation was strong enough to overcome that opposition I agree.

B

E

Yeah similar to commissioner Smith I, found this a gentrification project disguised as a cannabis in this facility.

E

um Having half a million dollar condos does not serve the working class community of Chinatown I also found the presenters characterization of the Chinatown neighborhood very dismissive, especially the businesses that cater to the Chinatown residents. I found that somewhat offensive so I.

E

Those are my comments.

E

F

Homes, I, don't need to reiterate my chair and my fellow Commissioners said it all.

B

Chairman Joyce, is there.

C

A motion, yes, my motion is to reject this application, with prejudice.

B

Is there a second okay, all in favor.

E

B

Am not opposed.

B

So this application is rejected with prejudice which, which means they cannot reapply at this location for a year.

B

The next item we have is enjoy delivery, LLC, DBA, Zaza Zoom, the proposed license premises, 14 15, 1457, VFW, Parkway, West Roxbury, the license type of Zakaria delivery operator and product manufacturing license. The Post hours of operation are 9 A.M to 9 pm seven days a week. This is an equity applicant and there is above its own conflict with another cannabis establishment challenges.

C

This to me this is an example. The presentation was pretty weak. um You know we use our hearings as an opportunity to be able to ask questions and we do have the board memo as backup, but there wasn't a lot. I could Garner from The Proposal at the public hearing on Wednesday and that's that's unfortunate because it gives people an opportunity to hear more about the application if they weren't able to participate in some of the community process. But that being said, um we we're tasked with figuring out first there's a buffer zone here.

C

Is there enough that's unique or a reason that should persuade us to pierce that buffer zone I'm not entirely sure I'm gonna wait and listen to what the other Commissioners have to say, but it's a different use, so I could I can see that it's not exactly the same as the HCA that created the buffer zone in that general area, um not a lot. We didn't receive a lot of support or opposition I think we actually just received.

F

Three letters of support.

C

So and again, I know it's not a retail establishment in a neighborhood, but um you know if you're going to be a part of the community I think you really need to do that work with the community and become a contributing member to the community and that, in my opinion, requires going out and having those conversations asking for that support talking through the opposition, um but they did have I mean I'm, not an expect an expert on employment plans, but after reading the materials and the board memo I could see that they did put some work into that.

C

um A lot of stuff was like vague and aspirational, and um so to me it was just um to me: it wasn't exactly a standout I didn't see any major issues with what they were proposing in their um board memo, but um I guess. Those are my comments for now I'm curious to hear from my fellow commissioners.

A

Thanks Jasmine.

B

A

You know I yeah, I I, give them some Grace to their delivery and all that and so strongly about the Buffalo I think people keep piercing the buffer zones and we probably have to have deeper conversations around that, but um you know to deliver it another dispensary. So um it's a different business model um I2 was a little bit kind of you know. I need to hear more about your plan for hiring for all these different things, um and that seemed a little bit.

A

You know again on even a little bit, not clear, but I also remember that they've come before us before.

A

um So you know I think there was a there's a chance for the Public Public to hear them at the first meeting and at this meeting and I had to go back and look at some stuff and think through. So um yes, while I didn't think that the presentation itself was great, you know I think some of the implementation and what they want to do um is is pretty good um and again going back and listening and hearing from them twice I had to kind of fill our understanding, so I would leave it there. Yeah.

B

Commission, commercial.

E

Yes, um I wasn't at the first meeting when they appeared before the board, um but I I did consider that it is a delivery um uh cannabis facility and its location um on the parkway um is is a good location for a delivery.

E

um Business um and I agree with everything else that the commissioner said: that's all I have.

B

Commissioner, Holmes.

F

Yeah I agree with um commissioner Camacho I. Think I gave him a lot of Grace because of the location. It's a delivery. They're set back. You know off the beaten path.

F

um You know they had come before us before. I thought their presentation like they know they had to go back and do a community process, and they did that, and um you know they had support from you know some some of the um West Roxbury Community, um so I mean that's it I I, don't know what else to say.

F

D

B

um Cheryl and Joyce is the emotion.

C

uh Yes, um I agree with what everyone said: I my I guess my emotion would be to Grant this application conditional upon the buffer zone um issue being resolved. So.

B

Granted conditionally, pending Zone and relief Sony relief. Yes, is there a second second all in favor.

E

B

Right and none of those, so the application is granted pending zoning relief granted conditions. Thank you. Thank.

D

B

Welcome all right, our final item old and new business. We have evoke Inc the proposed license premises: 1102 Blue, Hill, Ave, Dorchester Mass. um The license type is a retail recreational cannabis dispensary license. The BCB is a receipt of Correspondence that evoking application for a provisional license. What the CCC was denied additionally evoking have been dissolved.

B

So with that said to everyone Joyce.

C

My motion is to revoke ebooks HCA.

B

Is there a second.

B

E

B

And manifold so evoke Inc at 1102, blue Hall Ave. The HCA has been removed all right, so those are the matters before the board today are next transactional here will take place, October 11 2023 at 1pm hope everyone enjoys the rest of their day.

C

Thank you. Missionary Holmes has a question. Jasmine.

B

Oh sorry, yes, commissioner,.

F

I did so it was just about so we revoked his HCA. Yes,.

B

So they were so they would have to reapply for a license at that location. Okay,.

F

That's all I was trying to figure out. Okay, all right, that's it that! Thank you um Allison. Thank you.

B

Sorry I missed out. Thank you. Okay, all right now. This concludes our meeting.

B

Sarah will take place, October, 11th, I, hope everyone enjoys the rest of their day.