Development

Planning Board to Consider Marijuana Dispensary, Morse Street Apartments

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On Wednesday night, the Watertown Planning Board has two major agenda items – the medical marijuana dispensary proposed for Elm Street and the apartment complex on Morse Street. Two weeks ago, Natural Selections – the group seeking to open the marijuana dispensary – received a the vote it needed from the Town Council to move on to seek a special permit from the Planning and Zoning boards to open up a dispensary at 23 Elm Street in East Watertown. On Wednesday, April 12, the dispensary will appear before the Planning Board for the first time. According to the application submitted by Natural Selections, the dispensary would occupy 2,755 square feet of Building 2 on the site (behind A-Affordable Auto Insurance) and will have 22 parking spaces. Before the vote is taken by the Planning Board there will be an opportunity for resident to give their input.

Government

Group Behind Second Medical Marijuana Dispensary Pulls Application

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The group seeking to open a medical marijuana dispensary on Arlington Street told Watertown officials that they will not go forward with their application. A Community Meeting had been scheduled for Thursday, March 30 for the applicant to inform the public about plans for the site. Earlier in the day, however, the Watertown Department of Community Development and Planning announced that the meeting was cancelled and the petitioner, Alternative Therapies Group, was pulling out. “The Petitioner has confirmed by an Email just received by the Department of Community Development & Planning that they do not intend to go forward with a Dispensary at 36 Arlington Street,” said an email from Watertown Senior Planner Andrea Adams.

This comes two days after the first application for a medical marijuana dispensary cleared a major hurdle by getting a Letter of Non-Opposition from the Town Council. The applicants for the site on Elm Street still must get a special permit from the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Government

Split Town Council Won’t Stand in Way of Medical Marijuana Dispensary

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A proposed medical marijuana dispensary in East Watertown cleared a major hurdle Tuesday night when the Town Council voted 6-3 to approve a “Letter of Non-Opposition” for the application. The applicants, Natural Selections (or NS AJO), still must get approval of a special permit from the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals before they can open the dispensary at 23 Elm Street. The decision came after about two-and-a-half hours of debate, discussion and public input. Members of the public were split for and against the proposed dispensary. Those in favor said that people with illnesses and diseases such as cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis (MS) benefit from using medical marijuana, and they must get an ID issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Government

Town Council to Consider First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Application Tuesday

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The first applicant seeking to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Watertown will appear before the Town Council Tuesday night, and the public will have a chance to weigh in. 

The public hearing is on the Council’s agenda for the Tuesday, March 28 meeting, to be held in the Council Chambers on the second floor of Town Hall, 149 Main St., Watertown. Meeting begins at 7:15 p.m.

The applicants, Natural Selections, seeks to open the facility at 23 Elm Street, in a building behind the one occupied by A-Affordable Auto Insurance. The proponents appeared before the Council’s Economic Development and Planning Committee, which voted to allow the proposal be heard by the full Council in February. In order to move forward and be considered for a special permit by the Planning Board and Zoning Board, applicants first need to get a Letter of Support or Non-Opposition from the Town Council. That is what will be considered Tuesday.

Around Town

Applicants for Arlington St. Marijuana Dispensary Hosting Community Meeting

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The applicants seeking to open a medical marijuana dispensary on Arlington Street will host a community meeting for neighbors and residents to find out more about the proposed facility. Alternative Therapies Group, which seeks to locate a Medical Marijuana Dispensary at 36 Arlington St. (which also includes GymIt), will host a Community Meeting on Thursday, March 30, 2017, in Town Hall, 149 Main St. in the Council Chambers at 7 p.m.

For more information, contact Chris Edwards, Executive Director, Alternative Therapies Group, at info@atgma.org or 617-549-8575. The applicants sent out the following announcement:

Alternative Therapies Group (“ATG”) has been operating the very first Registered Marijuana Dispensary in Salem, MA since June 2015.

Government

Opponents, Supporters of a Medical Marijuana Dispensary Have Their Say

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The group proposing opening a medical marijuana dispensary in East Watertown heard from detractors and supporters during a community meeting held at Town Hall Monday night. 

Natural Selections has proposed opening a facility serving people with medical marijuana prescriptions in a building behind the A-Affordable Auto Insurance Building, across Elm Street from the Watertown Mall parking lot. Aidan O’Donovan, Chief Operating Officer for Natural Selections, said he expects to have around 200 customers a day, and – if approved – hopes to be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The group has secured 22 parking spaces. The most vocal opposition for the dispensary came from residents living near the proposed site who said that East Watertown, in particular their area near Elm and Arlington streets, has endured too much already. “East Watertown has rights,” said Eric Boyd, who would live less than 500 feet from the dispensary. “East Watertown has been a dumping ground for everything because it is in an industrial zone.”