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CRT 2016 #9 · Communication to the City Council · Apr 4 2016
a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Councillor Leland Cheung, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on March 24, 2016 to discuss a zoning petition by the Sage Cannabis, Inc. to amend the Zoning Ordinance in Section 20.700 Medical Marijuana Overlay Districts by creating an additional Medical Marijuana Overlay District (MMD-3)
CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
P L A N N I N G B O A R D
CITY HALL ANNEX, 344 BROADWAY, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02139
Page 1 of 1
Date:
March 22, 2016
Subject:
Sage Cannabis, Inc., Zoning Petition (MMD-3)
Recommendation:
The Planning Board recommends ADOPTION.
To the Honorable, the City Council,
On March 15, 2016, the Planning Board held a public hearing on a citizens’ zoning petition to
establish an additional Medical Marijuana Overlay District, MMD-3, coterminous with the
Business B-2 (BB-2) zoning district. BB-2 encompasses the north side of the Massachusetts
Avenue corridor between Ellery and Dana Streets. The petition would also establish criteria
specific to MMD-3, including a requirement that only medical marijuana dispensing (not
cultivating) operations would be allowed and that the dispensing area would not be allowed on
the ground floor of a building. The Board heard a presentation from representatives of Sage
Cannabis, Inc., a Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD) in Massachusetts and the organizer of
the petition, as well as members of the public.
Despite broad community support for medical marijuana availability in Cambridge, there has yet
to be a viable RMD location identified within the overlay districts established in 2013. The
Board believes that the BB-2 district is a rational area to accommodate an RMD. It is a centrally
located commercial area with MBTA bus service (connecting to subway) and parking
availability. It is also one of the few areas with sites at least 500 feet away from a school or other
facility with programming for children. There was some concern about whether the security
requirements for an RMD would interrupt the retail character at the street level, but that concern
is mitigated by the requirement to locate the dispensing space either above or below the ground
floor. Because a proposed RMD would still require a special permit from the Planning Board,
site-specific considerations such as transportation, loading and design would still be reviewed.
Board members acknowledged that the BB-2 district is very small, and that it may be worthwhile
for the City, through the work of the Planning Board and/or staff, to consider expanding the
medical marijuana overlay zoning to additional areas. Nevertheless, the Board is in favor of
advancing this particular zoning proposal at this time.
Respectfully submitted for the Planning Board,
H Theodore Cohen, Chair.