By ADAM SWIFT
PEABODY — The City Council is holding its latest hearing on a proposed medical marijuana zone along a stretch of Route 1 tonight, and there is already jockeying for position to bring a pot dispensary to the city.
A management company that provides services for Sanctuary Medicinal, a registered medical marijuana company in the state, is asking for an expansion of the zone in order to bring a dispensary to 41 Newbury St.
“As part of our services, we assist Sanctuary with their real estate requirements,” stated Jimmy Alex, the president and COO of Premier Healthcare Group, in a letter to the City Council. “Most recently, we put 41 Newbury St., Rt. 1N under contract with the hope of utilizing the property as a medical marijuana dispensary.”
From Premier Healthcare’s viewpoint, the problem with the site, which is a vacant pad in front of the Marriott Spring Suites, is that it is just outside the proposed medical marijuana zone.
Earlier this month, Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt revised the proposed zone, removing several parcels that were only accessible through Lynnfield. Alex stated that he was surprised that no additional parcels were included to compensate for the reduced zone.
“As a result, the proposed zone leaves only four qualifying properties, three that are currently occupied by viable and profitable businesses and the fourth, a vacant two-acre parcel of land situated behind the Brothers Kouzina restaurant,” Alex stated.
According to Alex, that site could already be in play as a potential medical marijuana dispensary under the control of another company. In a separate letter to the City Council, Alex stated that property owner Paul DiMaura “has the property under contract to an alleged hotel operator.”
But, Alex stated that DiMaura is now under the impression that the contract purchaser intends to develop a medical marijuana dispensary.
According to the city assessor’s records, 0 Newbury St. is owned by Turnpike Realty Company of Weymouth. DiMaura did not immediately return a phone call asking for comment. A man who answered the phone at Turnpike Realty confirmed that the company does own the parcel, but could not confirm or deny that the parcel is under agreement as a potential medical marijuana dispensary.
City Council President Joel Saslaw said he hasn’t heard anything definitive about a medical marijuana dispensary at 0 Newbury St., but added that if the council approves the new zone, a dispensary would be allowed for that site or the other properties along Route 1.
However, Saslaw said it is unlikely that the mayor and the council will add any parcels to the medical pot zone. He said the mayor and the council have held considerable discussions on the initiative and that adding parcels means the proposal would have to go back to square one in the public hearing process.
“I think it has been the will of the council and the mayor’s office to not delay with this,” said Saslaw, adding he expects the council to take a final vote after the public hearing tonight.
While most of the councilors have expressed support for the medical marijuana zone, Councilor-at-Large Anne Manning-Martin has raised a number of concerns.
“I’m already on record opposing this location due to the lack of clear direction from the state on how municipalities may manage and regulate recreational marijuana sales should our proposed ballot question (to prohibit recreational pot) to the voters fail,” said Manning-Martin. “Should this occur, medical marijuana facilities, by law, will be free to sell recreational marijuana a full year ahead of any regulations we would subject to other recreational sales.”
Manning-Martin said the proposed zone along Route 1 will create increased traffic congestion in an already busy area.
“I believe that we should zone for medical with the likely prospect of recreational passing, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst,” said the councilor. She said Route 1 cannot handle that type of increased activity and that it will impact commuters from Boston to Topsfield.