Proposed recreational pot shop is acceptable 400 feet from school complex, officials decide
The School Committee declined to oppose a proposed recreational cannabis dispensary at 966 Cambridge St., formerly Harvard Glass. The motion was submitted by member Fred Fantini due to the dispensary’s “proximity to the King Open Complex, numerous preschools and the Frisoli Youth Center,” and Fantini wound up being the sole vote for it.
Fantini said he brought the motion based on extensive conversations with families in the neighborhood who are concerned about the prospective shop’s proximity to the schools, though no speakers from the neighborhood appeared during public comment.
The Advesa MA dispensary would be in the Wellington-Harrington neighborhood roughly 400 feet from the King Open and Cambridge Street Upper School complex – which reopened in September but gets a public opening celebration and tour Oct. 26 after a $159 million, three-year refresh.
State law sets the buffer around cannabis stores at 500 feet, but local communities can set lower buffer zones.
The city’s original zoning also said that a cannabis store or production facility could not be within 500 feet of “a school, daycare center, preschool or after-school facility or any facility in which children commonly congregate.” But the City Council voted to reduce the buffer at its Sept. 23 meeting, concluding that the city’s density and number of child-centered spaces would makes it difficult for prospective retailers to find qualified retail space.
The new language reduces the buffer zone to 300 feet and narrows the restrictive uses to a “pre‐existing public or private school providing education in kindergarten or any of grades one through 12,” and “a pre‐existing public children’s playground, public youth athletic field, or public youth recreation facility.”
Fantini said Advesa held a public meeting July 26 that he felt was not widely publicized and gave only limited speaking time (one hour). There have been no further community meetings, but Advesa representatives said they hoped to submit an application to the Planning Board on Friday, beginning the next round of community input to the project.
Advesa had three representatives speak during public comment: Gerry McDonough, its attorney; John Sprague, a security consultant; and Shanel Lindsay, its executive director.
McDonough said he understands the opposition from neighbors.
“We want to make this a safe and secure location for a business that meets all requirements of the zoning laws,” McDonough said. “We want to be good neighbors and keep the neighborhood safe, keep [cannabis] away from young people.”
In his opposition to Fantini’s motion, Mayor Marc McGovern pointed out that cannabis businesses are subject to constraints that include the buffer zone, no window displays, no coupons, no discounts, having security on site and requiring an ID to both enter the store and make purchases.
Member Patty Nolan agreed, observing that 70 percent of the voters in nearby precincts in Cambridge voted to legalize cannabis. State law also sets the number of cannabis stores allowed at 20 percent of the number of liquor stores, which for Cambridge will be eight cannabis stores.
Members Manikka Bowman, Emily Dexter, Kathleen Kelly and Laurance Kimbrough joined McGovern and Nolan in opposing the motion. Fantini did not respond immediately Friday when asked for further comment.
The Cambridge government’s attitude on this topic is deeply frustrating.
First they allow the loss of Out of the blue art gallery in Central. Then it becomes a pot shop. Then that pot shop delays opening thanks to “woke” laws around prioritization. Never mind that these mis-guided efforts have also allowed TWO more pot shops to be approved within 60 feet of the first due to “economic empowerment” exemptions. One in the old harvest co-op location, the other to replace Central Kitchen.
And Mayor McGovern shows how disconnected he is from the issue with his comments regarding “no discounts”. In one presentation to the planning board, the Central Kitchen group proudly touted how they would have “VIP cards” which would give members special discounts. APPROVED.
And while 70% may have voted for legalization, they certainly were not voting to have such within proximity of schools.
Thank you for the useful article. It will serve as a handy guide of whom not to vote for in the upcoming election.
The members of the c council that voted to change the zoning to 300ft should be done full stop. There is a reason the State set it to 500ft. It’s just yet another pathetic act.
“The city’s original zoning also said that a cannabis store or production facility could not be within 500 feet of “a school, daycare center, preschool or after-school facility or any facility in which children commonly congregate.” But the City Council voted to reduce the buffer at its Sept. 23 meeting, concluding that the city’s density and number of child-centered spaces would make it difficult for prospective retailers to find qualified retail space.”
I am not a fan of having recreational cannabis shops so close to schools.
Well d19201 no one is a fan of having cannabis shops so close (now only 300ft) to schools…we can all agree on that – right?
uhmm NO actually the C City Council revised the law to 300ft from the state requirement of 500ft from schools. It’s really unbelievable. It’s like in the 70’s when Mc Donalds set up their locations in lower-income communities near schools.
Thanks City Council – glad its election time!
https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/factsheets/teens.htm
Marijuana and the teen brain. Unlike adults, the teen brain is actively developing and often will not be fully developed until the mid 20s. Marijuana use during this period may harm the developing teen brain.
Negative effects include:
Difficulty thinking and problem-solving.
Problems with memory and learning.
Impaired coordination.
Difficulty maintaining attention.
Negative effects on school and social life
and we in Cambridge lowered the 500ft to 300ft from a school? why? because the storefront was empty.
Yes Patty it was voted to be legalized but it had the 500ft away from schools for a reason. You would think we would have increased it from 500ft (which actually isn’t that far 1/10 of a mile) to 1000ft. Geez