The Brockton Zoning Board of Appeals held a four-hour meeting on Tuesday evening, when they approved zoning petitions for four proposed marijuana businesses, while rejecting one petition for a proposal on the east side.

BROCKTON – Four proposals for state-legalized recreational marijuana businesses in Brockton took a small step toward approval on Tuesday, when a city board signed off on zoning requirements for each of the applicants, including one who plans to open a pot shop in a former Papa Gino's restaurant.

The Brockton Zoning Board of Appeals held a four-hour meeting on Tuesday evening, when they approved zoning petitions for four proposed marijuana businesses, while rejecting one proposal on the east side.

The five-person Zoning Board unanimously approved zoning petitions from Green Status Corp., which wants to open a pot shop in the former Wainwright Law Office; Hye Corp., which wants to open in the original Tommy Doyle's location close-by on North Pearl Street; and Green World, which wants to open in a Papa Gino's restaurant that closed down in November last year at 897 North Montello St. In addition to the proposed recreational marijuana stores, the Zoning Board also approved a special permit for a recreational marijuana cultivation and manufacturing facility.

Scroll to the bottom of the story to view an interactive map of proposed pot shop locations in Brockton.

According to the zoning ordinance approved earlier this year by City Council, governing where adult recreational pot shops can operate, pot shops must be located in C-2 and C-3 commercial zones in Brockton.

However, Nature's Embrace, which is seeking to open at the former Webster Bank at 747 Centre St. was denied in a 4-0 vote of the Zoning Board, with Jeffrey Thompson recusing himself from the decision. Representatives of the company came with a map that was not the same as the one used by the Zoning Board, which showed that the property is split between commercial and residential zones.

"That was due to an issue with the back parking lot being in an R-1-C zone," said Craig Pina, a member of the Zoning Board. "They actually had a good plan, but they didn't realize that the lot was split between two zones. I think they researched it thoroughly enough. The fact that it just came up last night, to me, demonstrates that we really need to make a serious effort to clean up our zoning."

Ward 5 Councilor Anne Beauregard was adamantly opposed to the Nature's Embrace proposal at the former bank, arguing that it's too close to residential properties and a growing hospital campus, and that the area is regularly traversed by school children. Beauregard said she passed out flyers and got about eight others to speak out during the hearing against the proposal.

"I don't want a pot shop at that intersection," said Beauregard, who represents the east side. "It's too close to schools. Kids walk around there all the time, all year."

Beauregard said she predicts Nature's Embrace may go to Land Court, seeking a reversal of the Zoning Board's ruling.

In addition to the proposed recreational marijuana stores, a special permit to open a recreational marijuana cultivation and manufacturing facility at 53 Spark St. was approved by the Zoning Board. The proposal is by Brockton businessman and former "Main Street manager" Gary Leonard.

The backers of the proposed pot shops at Tuesday's meetings and Leonard each previously received requisite host community agreements that were signed by Mayor Bill Carpenter, who died on July 3 at age 62.

All of the applicants must also go through a lengthy, rigorous permitting process at the state's Cannabis Control Commission before they can get the opportunity to open. And applicants for marijuana businesses would need to get final permitting approval on the local level from City Council.

"In general, I was happy with each of the proposals," Pina said. "While I certainly do understand citizens' concerns about traffic, we have to remember that we are past the phase that towns like Leicester and Northampton were in as the first. Once the dust settles, traffic will not be a concern. ... We have to remember that this is one of the first steps, there are a number of hurdles after they each obtain their special permit. The most rigorous will be the Cannabis Control Commission, who will have continued oversight authority."

Presently, the company that's closest to receiving a recreational marijuana business permit from the Cannabis Control Commission is In Good Health, which has been operating as a medical marijuana dispensary at 1200 W. Chestnut St. By virtue of being in an overlay district previously established by the city for medical marijuana dispensaries, city officials said In Good Health will be grandfathered into its current location for recreational marijuana zoning. In Good Health has also already received provisional approval from the state, and is just waiting for a final inspection to be completed and a final permit vote, which could take place as early as the Cannabis Control Commission's next meeting set for July 17.

"The state inspection process for the adult use license at In Good Health is underway and we look forward to being on the CCC’s agenda as soon as possible, but we do not yet know when that will be," said David Noble, president and CEO of the Brockton dispensary.

Look below to view an interactive map of proposed pot shop locations in Brockton.