LYNN — It was “complete chaos” at City Hall Tuesday night as approximately 200 people herded into the building to show their opposition to a recreational marijuana shop approved by the City Council last week.
Despite numerous concerns from neighbors about traffic and parking, Diem Cannabis was issued the city’s last recreational marijuana license last week, which, pending state approval, will allow the Oregon-based company to open a store at 211-217 Lewis St.
Tuesday’s crowd, which included neighbors of the future East Lynn pot shop and members of a nearby church, started gathering in the City Hall lobby at 6 p.m. for a meeting between the neighborhood and City Council President Darren Cyr, who represents the area.
The meeting was organized by the Lynn Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church, which opposes the opening of a recreational marijuana shop, or what the church’s pastor Ervin Ochoa has referred to as the sale of “drugs” in the neighborhood where its members congregate.
However, after about 100 people showed up, the group was told the session had been canceled, according to Ryan Johnson, an Atlantic Street resident who lives five buildings away from the future shop.
“It was complete chaos,” said Johnson. “To have everyone told the meeting was canceled, and then they got mad and stormed the mayor’s office. I guess they were overwhelmed.”
After the group swelled to about 200, the crowd made its way to Mayor Thomas M. McGee’s office, where Cyr and other councilors were meeting with the mayor. They were then directed to head to the City Council chambers, where someone would speak with them 20 minutes later, Johnson said.
Johnson, who is concerned the future shop will exacerbate the lack of parking in the area, said Cyr spoke briefly, but didn’t directly address the group’s concerns. He said he was left wondering if the company’s license could be revoked due to the large show of opposition.
Cyr said he addressed the crowd, which mainly consisted of church members, and told them he would be meeting privately with the church’s pastors in the next two weeks to address their concerns. He said there would be a subsequent meeting with the owners of Diem.
“Someone is going around the neighborhood stirring up everybody and putting falsehoods out there,” said Cyr. “I will meet with the pastors in two weeks and keep the dialogue open.”
However, Cyr said the license has already been approved and can’t be revoked, which was echoed by City Solicitor George Markopoulos.
“The time for it to be revoked is past,” said Cyr.
Overwhelming opposition from the neighborhood killed the company’s initial plans to open at 229 Lewis St., or 1 Chestnut. That proposal was tabled by the City Council in September and officially rejected by the panel in December.
Chris Mitchem, CEO of Diem Cannabis, said last week the company’s new location, located about 50 feet down the street, has much better parking — 11 spaces in a parking lot behind the building, along with on-street spaces — which was one of the neighborhood’s top concerns.
A representative from the church could not be reached before The Item’s deadline.
