A Planning Board Report regarding the Cannabis Repackaging Petition

To the Honorable, the City Council, On May 6, 2025, the Planning Board (the “Board”) held a public hearing to discuss a Zoning Petition by the City Council to amend Article 11.000 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. The Petition proposes to amend a subsection of the Cannabis Uses standards, Section 11.800, with the intent to remove the provision that prohibits the packaging or repackaging of cannabis products on the premises of a Cannabis Retail Store.

The Board heard a presentation from staff in the City’s Community Development Department (CDD). Following the presentation, public comment, and discussion among Board members, the Planning Board voted to forward this report to the City Council with a positive recommendation.

The Board acknowledged that State regulations currently allow the packaging and repackaging of cannabis products in Cannabis Retail Stores and supported the Petition’s intent to reconcile Cambridge’s zoning standards with the State’s regulations. Board members agreed that the initial concerns about odor impacts of Cannabis Retail Stores have not come to fruition and those potential impacts are already addressed by State regulations and local Cannabis Business Permit standards.

The Board agreed that the intent of the Petition is clear and had no recommended text changes. The Planning Board voted 5-0 in favor of transmitting the above report. One member was absent. Respectfully submitted for the Planning Board,

Mary Flynn, Chair.