GREENFIELD — The Planning Board has forwarded a positive recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals on the issuance of a special permit for a proposed adult-use marijuana retail establishment in the storefronts on Main Street formerly occupied by Country Jeweler and Greenfield Games.
The recommendation is conditional on a letter of support from Police Chief Robert Haigh Jr., limiting delivery vehicles to the size of box truck or smaller, and allowing only right turns from the sally port garage proposed on the Chapman Street side of the building.
To date, Buudda Brothers, the group proposing the plans, has obtained a host community agreement with the city and held a community outreach meeting. A security plan has been submitted to the Police Department, but has not received approval yet.
Architect Steve Drakulitch of Greenfield presented the plans to the Planning Board Thursday night, speaking on behalf of Buudda Brothers co-owners Justin Pagan and John Toro.
“We have some particular site issues that we have worked with the town about,” Drakulitch noted. “In particular, the building really occupies almost the entire site, so we have no place for a vehicle to park in a controlled condition.”
As a solution, he said Buudda Brothers is proposing to build an interior garage, so product can be delivered “in a safe way.”
“Part of what we need to do is take over part of the existing loading zone out front,” said Drakulitch, who noted the plan had received support from city departments. “My proposal was to take the loading zone — I see it used all the time — and move it to in front of the excavated basement of the building that was never built … and take out three parking spaces to do that.”
He noted that any moving of meters, re-striping or sidewalk repair needed will also be taken care of during the construction phase.
The sally port will have space for two vehicles, which Pagan clarified would be used both for wholesale deliveries to the site, as well as for a business-owned vehicle for delivery of the product.
Drakulitch said the project would include redoing the Main Street windows to allow as much natural light as possible, but also in a way that meets security standards for a retail marijuana shop.
The basement will remain a mechanical basement, he said, and there are no plans for use of the upstairs level.
Planning Board members primarily had concerns regarding the entry and exit into the sally port proposed on the Chapman Street side of the building.
“I walked around that area yesterday, and the cars come very quickly around the corner onto Chapman Street,” said Planning Board member Dave Chichester. “Although it’s not a lot of pedestrians on that side of Chapman Street, there are some.”
Planning Board member Mark Maloni also asked if there was a reason for eliminating the three parking spaces for the purpose of building a garage for two vehicles, when there is a public parking lot just down the street. Drakulitch explained that legally, per state Cannabis Control Commission regulations, the loading and unloading of product needs to be done in a secure area.
Drakulitch discussed the potential for some sort of audio or visual warning for when vehicles are entering or exiting the sally port.
In response to questions raised in writing by the Health Department, relating in particular to odor, Drakulitch explained that odors associated with marijuana are more prevalent in the processing phase, not in a retail establishment. The quantities at the shop are small and all packaged, he said.
After more than an hour of discussion, the Planning Board voted unanimously to forward a positive recommendation to the ZBA.
The owners previously said they hope to see the shop operational by May, pending approval from the Planning Board, ZBA and Cannabis Control Commission.
“We’re young, we’re ambitious and we’re very motivated,” Pagan said in an interview in August. “Once we get going, we want to take off.”
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne