Robert Celt
New Member
One medical marijuana business has already applied for a special permit to operate in Leominster and three others spoke Wednesday night at a meeting held to look at some of the issues related to operating in the city.
City officials heard from Middlesex Integrated Medicine Inc. of Boston, Doctors Orders Group of Denver, and CommCan of Millis.
Alternative Therapies Group of Salem, which has submitted an application for a special permit to operate a facility at 57 Nashua St., did not have someone address the meeting. The City Council has scheduled a hearing for March 28 to address its application.
Mayor Dean Mazzarella said the meeting was held because the city has seen an uptick of interest in businesses looking to locate in Leominster since the state Department of Public Health opened it up to an expanded number of businesses last year.
Attorney John J. Goldrosen of the city's law firm Kopelmen and Paige of Boston told the more than two dozen people attending the meeting a little of the history of medical marijuana approved in the state by referendum in 2013. He said at the time the state limited the number of businesses that could be licensed. He said about a year ago the state took another look at its regulations and decided not to limit applications or set a number that can operate in a community. He said companies will need to go through a three-tiered application process, first submitting a letter of intent, then a plan for management and operations to show they have the ability to operate the business and, finally, a siting profile.
As part of the siting profile, Mr. Goldrosen said, companies must submit to the state a letter of support or at leaset non-opposition from the government of the city or town they plan to operate in. Without the letter, he said, the companies will not be approved. The companies must also meet local and state requirements to operate their businesses.
Ed Bartlett of Middlesex Integrated Medicine said his company applied in the first round and did not succeed in getting a license.
"We have appealed the first-round application (denial) and are applying in the second round," he said.
Mr. Bartlett said the company is exploring possibilities, including in Leominster. The company has not selected a site and plans to work with the city to see what would be best. The company is looking at either a cultivation facility, a retail business or both.
Josh Bartch and Jeff Koslosky of Denver have experience operating facilities in both Colorado and Oregon. The partners also worked on developing laws in the two states.
"We opened our first store in Denver in 2009 and since then we operate multiple retail stores and a 100,000-square-foot cultivation facility," he said.
Mr. Bartch said Doctors Orders Group is looking to open a cultivation and retail business at 30 Patriots Circle that would create about 50 jobs.
"We take this very seriously," he said. "This is what we do and we do it well."
Marc Rosenfeld, an attorney who represented the third company at the meeting, said his company was not part of the 2013 process, but now has three applications in the state, including one for Leominster. He said the company has not yet settled on a site. He said his company is local, with no facilities in other states, and has been involved since the marijuana regulations were developed here.
City Councilor Richard Marchand said one concern the council has is it is learning of new businesses as it is considering the application of a fourth business. He asked how far the City Council could go in imposing restrictions and whether the company they are considering should complete the state application process before receiving council approval.
Mr. Goldrosen said he would recommend the council allow the company to withdraw its application without prejudice until it completes the state process.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: MA: Several Medical Marijuana Businesses Show Interest In Leominster
Author: George Barnes
Contact: Telegram.com
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Telegram.com
City officials heard from Middlesex Integrated Medicine Inc. of Boston, Doctors Orders Group of Denver, and CommCan of Millis.
Alternative Therapies Group of Salem, which has submitted an application for a special permit to operate a facility at 57 Nashua St., did not have someone address the meeting. The City Council has scheduled a hearing for March 28 to address its application.
Mayor Dean Mazzarella said the meeting was held because the city has seen an uptick of interest in businesses looking to locate in Leominster since the state Department of Public Health opened it up to an expanded number of businesses last year.
Attorney John J. Goldrosen of the city's law firm Kopelmen and Paige of Boston told the more than two dozen people attending the meeting a little of the history of medical marijuana approved in the state by referendum in 2013. He said at the time the state limited the number of businesses that could be licensed. He said about a year ago the state took another look at its regulations and decided not to limit applications or set a number that can operate in a community. He said companies will need to go through a three-tiered application process, first submitting a letter of intent, then a plan for management and operations to show they have the ability to operate the business and, finally, a siting profile.
As part of the siting profile, Mr. Goldrosen said, companies must submit to the state a letter of support or at leaset non-opposition from the government of the city or town they plan to operate in. Without the letter, he said, the companies will not be approved. The companies must also meet local and state requirements to operate their businesses.
Ed Bartlett of Middlesex Integrated Medicine said his company applied in the first round and did not succeed in getting a license.
"We have appealed the first-round application (denial) and are applying in the second round," he said.
Mr. Bartlett said the company is exploring possibilities, including in Leominster. The company has not selected a site and plans to work with the city to see what would be best. The company is looking at either a cultivation facility, a retail business or both.
Josh Bartch and Jeff Koslosky of Denver have experience operating facilities in both Colorado and Oregon. The partners also worked on developing laws in the two states.
"We opened our first store in Denver in 2009 and since then we operate multiple retail stores and a 100,000-square-foot cultivation facility," he said.
Mr. Bartch said Doctors Orders Group is looking to open a cultivation and retail business at 30 Patriots Circle that would create about 50 jobs.
"We take this very seriously," he said. "This is what we do and we do it well."
Marc Rosenfeld, an attorney who represented the third company at the meeting, said his company was not part of the 2013 process, but now has three applications in the state, including one for Leominster. He said the company has not yet settled on a site. He said his company is local, with no facilities in other states, and has been involved since the marijuana regulations were developed here.
City Councilor Richard Marchand said one concern the council has is it is learning of new businesses as it is considering the application of a fourth business. He asked how far the City Council could go in imposing restrictions and whether the company they are considering should complete the state application process before receiving council approval.
Mr. Goldrosen said he would recommend the council allow the company to withdraw its application without prejudice until it completes the state process.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: MA: Several Medical Marijuana Businesses Show Interest In Leominster
Author: George Barnes
Contact: Telegram.com
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Telegram.com
