Holyoke Gardens LLC had a supporter in the crowd at Holyoke, Massachusetts City Hall Tuesday, July 31, 2018. Morriss Partee of St. Kolbe Drive urged ...

Don't Edit

Three of five proposals from marijuana businesses Tuesday received favorable recommendations from a City Council committee at City Hall.

The committee voted 5-0 to recommend that the full City Council grant special permits to:

Canna Provisions, which wants to open a recreational marijuana dispensary at 380R Dwight St.;

East Coast Pharms, which wants to operate a dispensary for medical and recreational marijuana at 630 Beaulieu St.;

RISE Holdings Inc., formerly GTI Massachusetts NP Corp., which has been operating a medical marijuana facility at 28 Appleton St. since April and is seeking permission to add cultivation of plants for recreational marijuana sales.

The committee continued to Sept. 11 consideration of the application for a special permit from Holyoke Gardens LLC, which wants to run a marijuana cultivation facility at 5 Appleton St.

The Holyoke Gardens proposal was continued because councilors wanted to receive planning department comments about the proposal.

Hothouse Holyoke withdrew its application for a special permit for a marijuana cultivation facility because it has changed its planned location to 90 Sargeant St. from the original 5B Appleton St. The change in location requires that the permit application be refiled, councilors said.

The City Council will consider the recommendations for Canna Provisions, East Coast Pharms and RISE Holdings Inc. Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

A special permit from the City Council is the local approval such companies need to run recreational marijuana businesses. They also must obtain a license from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission.

Don't Edit

MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN

7/31/18 - HOLYOKE - Lawyer John J. Ferriter represents RISE Holdings Inc., formerly GTI Massachusetts NP Corp., in a special permit meeting about the medical marijuana company held by the Holyoke, Massachusetts City Council Ordinance Committee at City Hall Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

Don't Edit

RISE Holdings opened the medical marijuana facility here in April after doing $8 million in renovations and preparations for the business.

The amendment the company is seeking to its special permit is to allow for the growing of recreational product on the site for sale at marijuana dispensaries at other locations, not for selling from 28 Appleton St. Cultivation for medical and recreational products must have separate permits.

In response to a question from committee member David K. Bartley, lawyer John J. Ferriter, representing RISE Holdings, said the company has 23 employees in a total that will grow to 60 by the end of 2018.

Holyokers fill over nine of those jobs, or 40 percent, and half the jobs are folks "considered to have minority status," Ferriter said.

Councilor at Large Michael J. Sullivan said RISE Holdings needs to do a better job of spreading word about its jobs. He has spoken to over a dozen residents in Ward 1, where the population is largely Latino, between the ages of 18 and 25, and none was aware of the RISE Holdings jobs, he said.

"Despite the efforts going on, the word just is not out there, that jobs are available," Sullivan said.

Ferriter urged councilors and others to have such folks contact the company about employment.

Don't Edit

FILE PHOTOS

Members of the Holyoke City Council, from left, Nelson R. Roman, Ward 2, Rebecca Lisi, at large and David K. Bartley, Ward 3.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

The Massachusetts law that legalized marijuana lets cities and towns negotiate host-city agreements with prospective companies, usually in the form of revenue paid to the municipality and to community groups.

Ferriter said RISE Holdings Inc. has been paying out grants to community groups in Wards 1 and 2 as part of its agreement.

Ordinance Committee member Rebecca Lisi said it was her understanding such funds should go first to the City Council before disbursement to community groups.

"I'm surprised that the funds are being disbursed directly to a community organization as opposed to the City Council," Lisi said.

Committee member Nelson R. Roman, the Ward 2 councilor, said it was always the intention that the host-city agreement money go directly to community groups. Such groups include the South Holyoke Neighborhood Association and groups in the Churchill and Indleside neighborhoods, he said.

"That's the hope, that it's not determined by government but it's determined by the people," Roman said.

Don't Edit

SUBMITTED IMAGE

Don't Edit

During the RISE Holdings discussion, Bartley proposed three amendments that the majority of the committee approved to add as special permit conditions. The committee wound up adding the conditions to the other plans it recommended for approval Tuesday.

The first amendment recommended for addition as a condition of the special permit is that the company vows to remain a taxpaying entity and will not change to nonprofit, tax-exempt status.

The committee voted to recommend that amendment 4-1.

Voting yes were Chairwoman Linda L. Vacon, Nelson R. Roman, Juan C. Anderson-Burgos and Bartley.

Committee member Lisi voted no.

The second special permit amendment was that the company guarantee that Holyoke residents get at least 30 percent of its nonsecurity jobs. That was recommended 5-0.

The third special permit amendment was that the company give security positions either to retired Holyoke police officers or police officers retired from other departments and living in Holyoke.

The committee recommended that 4-1.

Bartley said the conditions were aimed at helping Holyoke, to "really weigh in for the city of Holyoke."

Lisi said that even if it's a nonprofit property owner leasing to a commercial tenant, the commercial square footage would be subject to city property taxes.

"While it creates the appearance that you're looking out for the ctiy," Lisi said to Bartley, she didn't think "there's any jeopardy" of the city being unable to tax such a property.

Bartley said that with so many tax-exempt nonprofits operating here, he wanted to be sure when it came to permitting, and taxing, such marijuana businesses.

"I'd rather have it written as a special permit," Bartley said.

Don't Edit

MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN

7/31/18 - HOLYOKE - David Caputo, spokesman and licensing consultant for Holyoke Gardens LLC, addresses the Holyoke City Council Ordinance Committee about the company's proposal to run a marijuana cultivation facility at 5 Appleton St. Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at City Hall.

Don't Edit

Holyoke Gardens wants to cultivate and produce marijuana and marijuana products for sale to licensed establishments in Massachusetts at 5 Appleton St.

Officials in Holyoke Gardens include Justin P. Goldberg of Easthampton, Irene Masse of Greenfield and Michael Lees of Belchertown, according to the group's application for a special permit. That's in addition to David Caputo, who is spokesman and licensing consultant for Holyoke Gardens.

The company will employ three people at first. That will increase to 15 after the first year as the company renovates parts of the facility's 150,000-square-feet, Caputo has said.

The Ordinance Committee began the public hearing part of its consideration of the Holyoke Gardens proposal July 17. As the hearing resumed Tuesday, Caputo told the committee the company's plan would "provide quality, good-paying jobs" and taxes to Holyoke.

Morriss Partee of St. Kolbe Drive nodded to Caputo and urged approval of the Holyoke Gardens plan. (see video above)

"In particular, I want to give thanks to Dave for starting the process right here in Holyoke," Partee said.

The Ordinance Committee decided to continue consideration of the Holyoke Gardens to next month. Councilors said they want to hear comments from planning department staff regarding matters including a water main, a letter from the building commissioner, windows, the basement and a sublease arrangement at the property.

"You've got to do what you've got to do," Caputo said. "I'm just sad that it can't be considered by the full Council on the 7th."

"We've got to follow the law," Bartley said.

Caputo said he understood.

"I'm not complaining," he said.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jorge Tirse of East Coast Pharms has been attending and donating money to community events in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He will move his family to Holyoke ...

Don't Edit

Canna Provisions' recreational marijuana dispensary would employ about 20 people and include a $1.25 million renovation of at 380R Dwight St., officials have said.

The firm consists of shareholders Eugene McCain of West Newton, Massachusetts and Arthur P. Becker of New York City.

Given that Canna Provisions would be a dispensary, hours of operation are a matter for the committee to consider, Vacon said.

Roman proposed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

Marcos A. Marrero, director of the Holyoke Planning and Economic Development Department, stepped to the microphone and asked to address the committee.

Bartley said the public hearing part of the consideration of the Canna Provisions was closed after ample comment.

"Staff can comment any time," Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin said.

Assistant City Solicitor Crystal Barnes agreed.

"Staff can comment any time," she said.

Marrero said the operating hours for such establishments has been established as 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

"There needs to be a finding and there needs to be a fact behind the finding," to change that, Marrero said.

Don't Edit

MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN

7/31/18 - HOLYOKE - Marcos A. Marrero, director of the Holyoke, Massachusetts Planning and Economic Development Department, addresses the City Council Ordinance Committee at City Hall Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

Don't Edit

Roman said councilors did receive comments from people concerned about a marijuana dispensary operating downtown at night when some areas are poorly lit.

"They did bring up special hours of operation," Roman said.

Not during the public hearing part of the committee's consideration, Marrero said.

"And it gets dark every night," he said.

Roman agreed to amend his hours of operation motion to allow for a closing time of 8 p.m. on Saturday for marijuana dispensaries, after McGiverin said such a business would depend on Saturday traffic.

"I think the difference between Saturday and Sunday is night and day," McGiverin said. "This business needs Saturday night."

Depriving businesses of Saturday crowds would send an anti-welcome message to such dispensaries, he said.

The committee voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the hours of operation for marijuana dispensaries as amended.

Don't Edit

MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN

7/31/18 - HOLYOKE - Jorge Tirse of Gloversville, New York is pleased at Holyoke, Massachusetts City Hall after the City Council Ordinance Committee voted to recommend the full Council grant him a special permit to operate a dispensary for medical and recreational marijuana at 630 Beaulieu St. It would be under the name East Coast Pharms.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jorge Tirse of Gloversville, New York is proposing the East Coast Pharms medical and recreational marijuana dispensary at 630 Beaulieu St.

He was agreeable to the special permit amendments related to remaining a property taxpayer, jobs for Holyokers and hours of operation, he said after the hearing.

The plan is to continue with renovations of the proposed site, get a license from the state and open for business this year, he said.

Don't Edit

MIKE PLAISANCE / THE REPUBLICAN

6/21/18 - HOLYOKE - Lucas Wiggins and Audrey Park. Fruit snacks that would look like beef jerky is the product that Audrey Park and Lucas Wiggins are aiming for with a proposal for a recreational marijuana business in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Don't Edit

Audrey Park of Hothouse Holyoke attended the Ordinance Committee meeting. She said later the company run by herself and partner Lucas Wiggins would submit a new special permit application featuring a 90 Sargeant St. location.

"This is a better location for us," Park said.

Hothouse Holyoke plan is for a recreational marijuana business that would cook the weed into fruit snacks resembling beef jerky for sale in local stores.

Park and Wiggins have estimated they will need over $300,000 to get started and were confident of obtaining the funds, including through family and friends.