Holyoke-The city’s first medical marijuana facility could be functioning by November if the City Council grants its expected approval Tuesday.
The Council at 7 p.m. at City Hall will consider a 5-0 recommendation from its Ordinance Committee in favor of granting a special permit to GTI Massachusetts NP Corp. to run a medical marijuana cultivation and processing facility at 28 Appleton St.
With even the plan’s most vocal critic, Council President Kevin A. Jourdain, pledging a yes vote, based on the special permit holding to GTI Massachusetts to certain conditions, Council approval would trigger immediate movement.
“My understanding is that ‘if/when’ they get approval from the full City Council, they’d be able to complete predevelopment tasks (construction blueprints, getting building permits) by mid-summer and complete the build-out by the fall, with a target start of growing operations in October or November,” said Marcos A. Marrero, director of the city Planning and Economic Development Department.
GTI Massachusetts officials have said the company will put $8 million into planning and building the medical marijuana facility.
Councilors and business leaders praised the plan for the 25 to 30 jobs the facility would provide in its first year and 100 jobs over three years. Entry level wages would be $14 an hour with room for advancement.
The company also is negotiating a host-city agreement with Mayor Alex B. Morse that will entail yearly payments of $50,000 to $100,000 a year into the city general fund and $15,000 in grants to community groups.
Such medical marijuana facilities are required to be nonprofit in terms of registering with the state, which means the building and land are not subject to taxation but the equipment in such a facility can be taxed.
Putting it all into action will begin within days if the Council grants the special permit, GTI Massachusetts told The Republican in a statement Friday.
The company will apply to the Building Department for a building permit. Architects and engineers are ready to begin designing the facility that would occupy the second floor of a large, red-brick building in a general industry zoning district at Appleton and Canal streets, the company said.
Construction drawings would be done by mid- to late-June. Retrofitting the space is expected to take four to five months. Then GTI Massachusetts would need to obtain a certificate of occupancy from the city and final certificate of registration from the state Department of Public Health, the company said.
Hiring and training staff will take place in the months leading to the opening. The company will work with CareerPoint, a Massachusetts One-Stop Career Center at 850 High St., and neighborhood leaders to focus on providing jobs to residents of Wards 1 and 2, the company said.
“Given the time needed to grow and harvest the plants, further staffing and training will be ongoing as operations begin. So there will be a lot of simultaneous work and action going on all at one time,” the company said.
The special permit conditions were recommended for attachment after the Ordinance Committee received nearly four hours of public hearing testimony over two nights, April 25 and March 28.
OK of medical marijuana plan in Holyoke looks imminent as Councilors praise jobs
The Holyoke City Council will vote on May 2, 2017 whether to grant a special permit to GTI Massachusetts NP Corp. to operate the city’s first medical marijuana facility at 28 Appleton St., after councilors questioned the company in hours of public hearing testimony.Here are the conditions attached to the special permit the City Council would grant to GTI Massachusetts, as listed on the Council’s Tuesday agenda:
1. Initial operations of the RMD will be limited to a single employee shift with the usual hours of operation being from 7:00am to 12:00am
2. No exterior signage will be posted or displayed at the RMD except as may be required by Massachusetts DPH and by Zoning Ordinance Section 7.10.5(2)(e) which required a sign be posted at each entrance to the RMD which reads as follows: “Registration Card Issued by the MA Department of Public Health Required” in text two inches (2”) in height
3. GTI will improve a portion of the City owned parking lot on Canal Street directly across from the RMD to coincide with the number of employees working at the facility. The scope and timing of improvement work to be completed by GTI will be in accordance with and upon the mutual agreement of Holyoke Dept. of Public Works
4. This Special Permit for is for medical marijuana only not recreational marijuana. This Special Permit is for an RMD that acquires, cultivates, possesses, processes (including development of related products such as food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments), transfers, transports, sells, distributes marijuana and products containing marijuana at 28 Appleton St.. are all pursuant to applicable State laws and regulations. Any requested change to this scope of permitted uses at the RMD will require a new Special Permit from the Holyoke City Council.
5. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the RMD, a detailed ventilation plan will be approved by the Building Inspector and meet the standards identified in the Building Code and Zoning Ordinance
6. GTI will comply with 105 CMR 725.105(O) which will cover the removal of all marijuana and products containing marijuana from the RMD in the event that GTI files for protection under the bankruptcy laws, or GTI otherwise ceases operations at the RMD without removal of all such materials.
7. GTI will obtain any and all permits or approvals necessary for the secured enclosure located in the loading area of the RMD as required by the Holyoke Chief of Police. Additionally in the even that there are changes to the approved security plan any changes, or alterations to the security plan be reviewed and approved by the Holyoke Chief of Police
8. If the applicant enters into a waste water agreement with the Holyoke Dept. of Public Works for the purpose of metering its waste water discharge or therewise, a copy will be provided to the City Council
9. All grant money provided from the applicant shall be utilized exclusively for Ward 1 and Ward 2 in the City of Holyoke.
credit:masslive.com
