Boston City TV, MA City of Boston Cannabis Board, 21 Oct 2020

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: Boston Cannabis Board Public Hearing - October 21st, 2020 - Virtual

Description

A public hearing of the Boston Cannabis Board was held virtually on October 21, 2020.

A

Please give everyone a moment to come in from the waiting room as a reminder, please mute yourself unless you are a member of the board.

A

Good morning, this is the hearing before the cannabis board for the city of boston. Today is wednesday october 21st 2020. As a reminder, today's hearing is being conducted pursuant to temporary amendments to the open meeting law. That is what allows us to meet virtually today's hearing is being reported and will be posted to the city of boston's website.

A

While the public is welcome and encouraged to attend, there will be no public testimony accepted at today's hearing. I will now introduce chairwoman kathleen joyce.

B

Good morning and thank you or afternoon I should say thank you all for joining us at our third cannabis board. Voting hearing um I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce my fellow commissioners, commissioner lisa holmes, commissioner darlene lombos commissioner john smith and commissioner alejandra. Thank you.

A

Thank you and before we begin, I am going to ask commissioner smith if he would uh take a moment to make a statement.

C

Thank you leslie and good afternoon everyone. I would like it noted just for the record that I am going to recuse myself from item 3 on the agenda today due to my affiliation with the sni dudley street neighborhood initiative. Thank you.

A

Thank you very much, commissioner smith. With that I will call the first item. The applicant is the grazing group llc. The proposed license: premise is 533 washington street. This is a retail recreational cannabis dispensary license application. The proposed hours of operation are 10 am to 8 pm. This is a certified equity applicant. The date of the initial application was may 10 2019 the date of the initial filing with isd july 9 2019, the date of the community meeting november 25th 2019.

A

This is a buffer zone applicant. We will begin with comments from the chairwoman and each of the commissioners, chairwoman joyce. Thank.

B

You leslie and just to be clear, so we'll all we'll all comment on the application and then we'll go back and discuss emotion. We will.

A

Return for a motion then open it to any questions on the motion and then proceed with a second okay.

B

Thank you, um this first application for us, the grazing group, which seeks to open up a retail establishment in codman square. They have shown and demonstrated through their application a proven track record of their commitment to diversity inclusion, so they scored very high. For me in that category there is a lot of community support and support from local elected officials. For this application.

B

This site has access to public transportation and they indicated in their testimony that they would be seeking or that they have five off street parking spots that would be available to customers while they are within a buffer zone, meaning this location is within a half a mile of another marijuana establishment that we have already approved. I do believe that they have show they demonstrate the higher standard that this board is looking at to resolve that buffer zone issue this.

B

um By granting this license, I don't think it would negatively impact the surrounding neighborhood, and I think that this license would be in harmony with the intent of the boston zoning code and that established the buffer zone.

A

Commissioner holmes, do you have.

D

Comments uh just the fact that I did review their updated security plan and I saw they took the language out about the armed guard on the premises and everything so as far that was the only concern I had last week. So I'm satisfied. Thank you.

A

Thank you, commissioner smith.

C

Thank you just um I want to say, I think it fits with the intent of us establishing dispensaries. um I like the diversity, inclusion plan and there's support and investment in the community. Thank you.

A

Commissioner, lombos.

E

Thanks so much, I um very much agree very high scores for me on the diversity, inclusion and, obviously the community support.

E

My only thing is that I'd really love to see those really high goals on employment plan met, so just whatever we can do as a board and ta to support this applicant would love to just be on record. For that I thought very strong application. Thank you, commissioner. Thank.

F

You uh no not much to add jess. I agree with my fellow commissioners and the chairwoman thought it was a really strong, really strong application um really appreciated just the amount of support both by elected and in the community, and I think um it's a it's a a great equity applicant.

A

Thank you, chairwoman. Joyce, do you have a motion.

B

Sure I make a motion to grant this license with the condition of the applicant obtain a variance from the um zba within one year.

A

Are there any questions regarding the motion?

A

Do we have a second.

C

A

All in favor aye- and there are none.

A

Opposed second item: the applicant is sanctuary medicinals inc. The proposed license premise is 253 to 255 tremont street. This is the retail recreational cannabis dispensary license application. The proposed hours of operation are 10 am to 9 pm. This is a non-equity applicant. The date of initial application is july. 17 2018., the date of initial filing with isd is july. 17 2018 and the date of the community meeting is march 5th 2019.

A

chairwoman, joyce.

B

Thanks leslie, um I couldn't help but begin my evaluation of this application by focusing on the lack of community support in outright opposition. It wasn't just lack of support.

B

I do realize some neighborhoods are better situated and more organized to get some of that opposition or support to the case be together, um but I I acknowledge that some of this and some of the support that came in I want to acknowledge, did come in from um businesses outside the community, and I really do think that this application and um what we heard from the opposition is something to take a serious uh look at.

B

As far as this location, um I think the impact that this would have on the neighborhood as a whole has to really be taken seriously. This is a neighborhood they've worked for years to um to rehabilitate themselves as a neighborhood and um from what was once an adult entertainment zone. I do want to note there was a lot of testimony on the record about this being within the buffer zone school buffer zone, and it is not um that being said, the fact that it is located close to a school is something you would have to.

B

I would have to take into consideration. There's no off-site parking.

B

The testimony was that um that customers would be in and out within 10 minutes, and that just draws my attention to the fact that there is so much congestion, so much traffic already people would be live parking having their friend or their relative go in for 10 minutes, while they circle the neighborhood um and I think, as a regulator, I'm obliged to take a look at the appropriateness of this applicant at this location, and I am concerned by the high traffic, the congestion in this densely populated neighborhood, and also concerned by the fact that there is very little community support.

A

Thank you, commissioner.

D

Holmes, I have to agree with the chairwoman, although I have no opposition to the business, I just don't think the location is ideal. I agree with everything the chairwoman said.

A

Commissioner smith,.

C

I'm going to probably way into that and just say pretty much the same things that the other two commissioners have said, um and it was just really the lack of community support, and somebody mentioned about them not offering enough specifics, which I also felt myself in some ways I would say the caveat is um there was somebody who testified that talked about that. There was a lot of opinion and not facts, and so um I think this sounds like reconnecting with the community and um building a deeper relationship, that's sort of fact-based. Thank you.

A

E

Yes, I agree with my fellow commissioners: the lack of community support is very concerning and um and actually scored low for me, not just on community support. So when asked the question, when I asked the question about their commitment to hire locally 1.5 miles away, I I asked why how they would overcome the hurdle of having so much community opposition when their intent was to hire locally, and I wasn't quite satisfied with that answer.

E

I think that the goals around employment don't really match um what's happening in the community there so again, not just about the community support, but I do I'm concerned about their employment um plan as well, so scored low. For me all the way around thanks.

A

Thank you, commissioner.

F

uh So I agree with my fellow commissioners, and you know, I think it's important to note that uh the community that we're talking about chinatown has historically been uh not at the table when making very important decisions about their quality of life, I.e the highway that goes right through their neighborhood and has caused just generational um climate issues and asthma issues for for their population, and I think you know, given the the huge amount of opposition from from all from all organizations in chinatown and uh chinatown.

F

Although small is a very, very diverse uh in terms of ideological thought, I know a lot of those organizations well having worked as a director of moya, and there are a lot of things they don't agree on and um to see them all come together and have really strong opposition um to this uh to this proposal, uh just makes me feel like we are in a particularly important moment uh with this with this community to to do by do right by them, as they uh continue to fight for preservation um and against what has been just systemic climate uh injustice.

F

um I do want to say uh I did ask. I did push uh sanctuary on their diversity numbers and they did um supply them from their other locations, and I was actually quite pleased with them. So um I I think that you know in terms of that, I think maybe another location would would work, um but I I can't, um in good faith, go against a community. That's already been through so much.

A

Thank you, chairwoman, joyce, okay,.

B

um So again, I just want to um frame the motion as it relates to the location and not the operator. I don't feel that the applicant can submit a new application for the specific location that would be appropriate to this board. So, based on that, I make a motion to reject this application.

D

F

And I just have a question: I'm sorry, is it with prejudice or without prejudice.

A

With prejudice would prevent the applicant from again applying at this specific location for a year without uh without prejudice would not prevent that or, however, if this is rejected with prejudice, the applicant can still apply at another location, so with prejudice. So the motion is to reject with prejudice. Do we have a second for with prejudice?

A

Second, all in favor, aye aye and none.

A

A

The third item- the applicant is legal greens llc, the proposed license premise is 693 dudley street. This is a retail recreational. Cannabis dispensary license application. The proposed hours of operation are 11 am to 8 pm. This is a certified equity applicant. The date of initial application was may 14 2019 the date of filing with the inspectional services department was june. 25Th 2019, the date of the community meeting was september. 4Th 2019..

A

This is a buffer zone applicant and for the record, commissioner smith has recused himself chairwoman, joyce.

B

Thank you. um I just want to note again for the record that I am aware this is a certified equity applicant. um They do have support, but I think their entire plan is vague and lacking details that this board would be looking for. I think it's aspirational and that they would benefit benefit from some technical assistance from the office of economic development.

A

Thank you, commissioner. Holmes.

D

Yeah, I I agree with chairwoman joyce. I felt that they were their presentation was, was a little vague at best and that I I think- and it's only because I think they're new and they're just getting into the business, and I agree that they could use a little help. Their intent is in the right. I just think they could use a lot of um a lot of uh tutoring and help along get their business up and going.

A

Thank you, commissioner. Lombas.

E

I I agree with the two women here. I really want to support this application. I think they're um definitely headed in the right direction and would love to see um a real connection with the technical assistants that we provide um through this. The was it oed the office, the equity office um just would love to see. Support for this application. um I think they're headed in the right direction would like to just see a little bit more robust application.

E

F

I would agree with my fellow commissioners- I you know really went over and over on this application and searching through the everything that was uh submitted and uh trying to find a little more meat there to see um that maybe it was just in different places and just wasn't, you know coalesced all in one place, but I I agree that I think um the intent is is really good. I you know.

F

Of course we have a commitment to equity applicants, but that I agree that it would need um a bit more work in a in um technical assistance to get it to uh the next level.

A

Thank you and for the record, pursuant to the ordinance which established the board, the office of economic development development separate from this board does have technical assistance available to certified equity applicants. Chairwoman joyce.

B

um I make a motion to defer this application until they can come back to us with um a plan that builds upon some of the things that we've mentioned at the hearing and at this meeting.

A

And the board does have the ability to defer indefinitely and if the applicant seeks to take advantage of that technical assistance, they can reach out once they have done so and asked to be placed back on the agenda. Sure. When would you is the motion to defer indefinitely? Yes,.

B

Until they're ready to come back, if they decide.

A

To come back are there any questions on the motion?

A

Is there a second?

A

F

A

Hi, none opposed and we will reach out to the applicant to connect them with the office of economic development.

A

Item four: the applicant is fairway botanicals inc doing business as the hempis. The proposed license. Premise is 882 to 886 south street. This is a retail recreational cannabis dispensary license application. The proposed hours of operation are 10 am to 9 pm. This is a non-equity applicant. The date of initial application was july. 20Th 2018, the date of initial filing with isd was august. 29 2018, the date of the community meeting was december. 5Th 2018.

A

chairwoman, joyce.

B

Thanks leslie, they scored very high for me in the diversity inclusion in the employment plan, and I did question them at the hearing about their one-to-one um goals for for hiring minorities and women. So I'm interested to see how that plays out in once they get up and operating.

B

There is a lot of support from the community and from the district city councilor, and I'd like to note for the record. There is support from the previous district city councilor as well, while they don't have off street parking, which is something I do take a look at. When I see these applications. There are several other options in the neighborhood and I don't think the parking will have a negative impact on this particular neighborhood. At this location.

A

D

Homes- yes again, they slowed really high for me all around, but I was particularly impressed with the fact that they both live within walking distance of this establishment, which means that they're really invested in this community. They live there they're going to ensure that they have a business that um lives up to the standards set by this board.

D

Again, as you know, I did question about the commuter rail parking being familiar with that area, but um there are a number of municipal lots or a few municipal lots in the area and they have access to uh public transportation. So I don't think the traffic or the parking will be a big uh problem, so again scored very high. I I'm happy to see them take that ownership in their neighborhood.

A

Commissioner smith,.

C

Thank you. We questioned them on their commitment to hire boston residents. I think they're going to correct that in their records, so they will and also working with the c3rn to really train equity applicants to enter the cannabis industry. So all of that rounded out pretty good for me. So thank you.

A

E

Lombos yeah, I would agree with my fellow commissioners: it was a solid application, all the way around again, just with the correction of the non-president versus resident hiring. um That was a that was an unfortunate typo, but very solid application, much to say about it. Thank you, commissioner.

F

I agree with my fellow commissioners uh in terms of the one-to-one, as I had mentioned before, would be great to see just more specific uh higher that they would create more specific hiring goals around communities of color and those most disproportionately impacted by uh the the very flawed war on drugs.

F

But overall, I think it was a great application. I too think very highly of having someone, so you know within the neighborhood who's who's applying. I know that area extremely well um and and feel like in terms of parking and transportation would would not be a problem so um overall, very very satisfied.

A

Thank you, chairwoman joyce make.

B

A motion to grant this application.

A

Are there any questions on the motion? Is there a second? I can all in favor aye and none opposed.

A

Item five, the applicant is herba c3 dorchester llc, the proposed license premise is 43 freeport street. This is a retail recreational cannabis dispensary license. The proposed hours of operation are 10, am to 9 pm. This is a certified equity applicant. The date of initial application is february. 26 2020, the date of filing with inspectional services is february. 19Th 2020 and the date of the community meeting is august. 20Th 2020.

A

chairwoman, joyce.

B

Thanks leslie, I think this is a very strong application. I think it's a good location. They had a lot of community outreach and back and forth with the community and there's a lot of community support for this application.

B

I want to know something that stood out to me in their security plan and I'm interested to see how this actually plays out in practice.

B

Visitors have to leave their ids with security and a lot of the other security and operations plans until they until they make their purchase a lot of the other security and operations plans, um rely upon a scanner and then backup id or invisible determination that they are over 21 and sometimes a backup id. So I haven't seen this before and they also plan on maintaining a visitor log for three years. So I'm interested to see how this process works out.

A

D

Share uh strong application, um very good community support again, the location is, is an ideal location and um just a strong application. I support it.

A

Commissioner smith,.

C

uh No issues, I think it was pretty strong. Thank you.

A

E

Lombos strong application- I did want to just point out one thing that I thought was really interesting in terms of the diversity, inclusion and meeting their goals. They've also wrote into uh if they don't reach their goals, actually penalizing themselves, which is really just interesting and also just shows their commitment to reaching those goals and very supportive of um even just this self criticism that they have in baked in it's it's um it's a really solid application.

E

A

F

I have to agree with my fellow commissioners um really strong all around uh clearly a lot of experience in the industry, along with um the partnership with with an equity uh applicant um and someone who is building their own um establishments in the city and- and I like that- relationship and that that what could be, I think, a mentoring uh relationship. I would love to see them contin do that with other potential cannabis operators across the city. I think they're in a good position to do that.

F

I love the location and I think that it provides a really you know safe, uh safe space, and you know the neighborhood agrees so overall, very strong.

A

Thank you, chairwoman, joyce.

B

Thanks leslie, I make a motion to grant this application a retail license at this location.

A

Are there any questions regarding the motion? Is there a second all in favor all right, and there are none opposed.

A

Item six, the applicant is sierra naturals inc. The proposed license premise is 827 to 829 boylston street. This is a retail recreational. Cannabis dispensary license application. The proposed hours of operation are monday through saturday. 10 am to 8 pm sunday. 10 am to 6 pm. This is a non-equity applicant. The date of the initial application was august. 21St 2018, the date of filing with isd was august. 22Nd 2018, the date of the community meeting was april, 8 2019.

A

chairwoman joyce. Thank you.

B

Leslie um this was a very strong application um and before I get into the details of the application, I do want to acknowledge for the record that we did receive opposition written opposition late last night for from compassion, organics, um and it was also shared with us at the transactional hearing.

B

And I want to note for the record that it is my belief that this is distinct from the sarah naturals application in the sarah naturals application.

B

The individuals who met with the community the first time mr rellinger, he sold his 100 interest in the company and it was that sale and the fact that he was the one who met with the community that precipitated um the office of emerging industries to request that he have a second community meeting and from a licensing perspective. That's what we look at. We want to look at the operators and how the community feels about this particular operator at a particular location.

B

So looking at it through the licensing lens this corporation to corporation transfer, despite the fact that the entity name stayed, the same would be treated as a new application and would require a new community meeting.

B

We can get into questions about that from the other commissioners if you have any later on, but back to this um actual application, they had a very strong safety and security plan. The community is in favor of them strong uh support for this application. They've taken the feedback from the neighborhood and they've worked it into their operations.

B

There is no buffer zone conflict at this moment. I do recognize that this is a prime boston location and that this is a non-equity applicant. So I would be looking very closely at other applications within this area to be sure that this particular spot is not locked down just for this non-equity applicant.

A

And for the record, just before we move on uh chairwoman, you're you're, differentiating between this application before the board today for sierra naturals inc versus the correspondence received from compassionate organics. Yes did I misspeak.

B

I think you just might have flipped the two okay, yes, but I'm speaking today about sierra naturals, who is on the agenda and I believe it has been uh rightfully put on the agenda and compassionate organics that is not before us today, but is in the queue for a future meeting.

A

Thank you, commissioner.

D

Holmes, no con, no, um no opposition. It's like uh the chairwoman said it's a prime location. They really worked hard with the community to make sure that they um met the needs of the community listened and they did incorporate a lot of what the community requested into their application. The fact that they're willing to uh put in a handicap ramp to make it accessible for people um was a was a win for me. So um no opposition.

A

C

Yes, thank you no opposition. I would like uh chairwoman joyce, I'm just thinking that it'd be interesting to see what the community, how the community would respond to like an equity applicant, given that prime area, but outside of that, that's not um cyril's problem, I don't have any opposition to it. Thank you.

E

Commissioner, lombas yeah. Thank you. I agree. It's a very strong application. I am impressed it's a non-equity applicant and it really does have diversity and inclusion all through, um especially around employment. It's good to see this is a union shop. I'm I'm really pleased to see um consideration around diversity, inclusion in all aspects of the application from this non-equity applicant. So I think it's a very strong application and I'm very excited to see a union shop come before us.

A

F

Thank you. I agree with my fellow commissioners thought it was a really strong application. I do want to note that they did respond to my request for demographics across their other locations, um and you know, and we're very honest about the fact that they weren't meeting their diversity goals there and that they were working on them um and they were very, very clear about where um you know where they needed to to improve, and I and I really appreciated that so um overall, really strong.

F

Thank you. Chairwoman.

B

Joyce so make a motion to grant um this application a license at this location.

A

Are there any questions regarding the motion? Is there a second.

E

A

All in favor aye aye and none opposed with that we will move to all the new business. There is a request for a motion to post the draft amendment to the board's rules and regulations regarding the transferability of licenses and changes to beneficial interests granted by the board. This would trigger a 30-day public comment period and the same would be posted in a newspaper of general circulation.

A

Is there a motion to publicly post this and open the commentary and make a motion? Is there a.

C

A

There is a request for a motion to request the executive secretary draft, an amendment for the board's consideration and discussion to the rules and regulations regarding holiday hours of operation. This is being done to maintain consistency with the holiday hours of operations for retail package stores, from which these licenses were based. On the same um the same regulatory standards is there a motion I make a motion.

A

Is there a second? Second all in favor.

A

There is a motion to request the executive secretary to review the hearing, dates for the november and december hearings and to work with the members of the board to amend the same. To ensure there are no scheduling conflicts given the holidays.

A

Is there a motion? Make a question: is there a second? Second all.

B

A

Seeing unopposed item four new dia llc has applied for a recreational cannabis. Retail dispensary license to be exercised at 48 to 62 brookline avenue. The applicant is an equity applicant. The board deferred the previous vote on this application to allow for the submission of supplemental information regarding the security and operations plan. Chairwoman. Joyce: do you have any comments on the subsequently submitted plan.

B

No, I don't. I appreciate them taking the time to supplement the plan. They had originally submitted to the board to take into consideration the special circumstances around this location, specifically game days and other events at fenway.

A

Commissioner holmes, do you have any.

D

Comments, the only comment is in their security plan. They seem to focus on. You know, really only focus on game days and when there were events going on with security, but I would just ask that they do that all day, not just game days and event days at fenway park, but friday nights and saturday nights with which can be just as busy as a game day or event at fenway park.

A

Thank you, commissioner smith.

C

No comment at this time. Thank you.

A

Commissioner, lombos.

E

No comment: I um I somewhat deferred to commissioner holmes around her secure, she's, so diligent about the security. So uh as long as she's cool with it, I'm cool with it and and also the application, when we heard I thought, was a strong application. So I just um I'm glad that they submitted um a supplemental for the security commissioner.

F

St uh agree, I supported the application. I thought it was really strong and and appreciate the update on security.

A

Chairwoman, joyce.

B

Thanks leslie, I think I'm going to defer to commissioner holmes to make the motion.

D

Commissioner gee, what the pressure? Okay, I make a motion that we uh grant the license to uh new dia llc.

A

And just to be clear, this is a um a buffer zone applicant, so it will be a conditional grant pending the uh obtaining a variance from the zva. Are there any questions regarding the motion.

B

I have a question leslie we're going to ask them to expand upon the security and operations plan to reflect. Commissioner holmes's request that it be taken into consideration for friday and saturday nights outside of special events at fenway.

A

Absolutely we can make that change and add it as a condition.

B

A

Do we have a second for the motion to grant conditionally pending variance relief for the buffer zone and pending clarification in the security and operations plan incorporating uh busy weeknights in addition to game days and special events?

A

Is there a second second all in favor, aye aye, and there are none opposed items? Five and six do not require any action, but for the record, sun's mass inc has requested reconsideration for its application for a co-located recreational cannabis, retail, dispensary, medical dispensary and manufacturing license to be exercised at 931 hyde park avenue. This is a non-equity applicant. The applicant will be given 8 minutes to present. At the board's november transactional hearing item 6 dragon vapors llc has requested reconsideration for its application for a recreational cannabis.

A

Retail dispensary license to be exercised at 354 to 358 chestnut avenue. The applicant is a non-equity applicant. The applicant will be given eight minutes to present at the board's november transactional hearing and with that there are no additional items before the board. Thank you. Everyone for participating and thank you. Everyone who joined us today.

A