FITCHBURG — The city could be welcoming two new marijuana businesses in the near future after the Planning Board heard plans for the potential shops on Tuesday.
The Healing Center plans to transform the former Cumberland Farms at 346 River St. into a recreational marijuana dispensary.
The business would not make any major changes to the building, said attorney Danielle deBenedictis. However, it still need to remove the underground petroleum tanks previously used by the gas station.
According to deBenedictis the Police Department has asked for a chain-link fence to be installed rather than a security fence. It would provide the police with better visibility of the parking lot, she said.
Some members of the board expressed an interest in removing a restroom located in the lobby the establishment. A restroom there, they said, could be a place where customers consume the product and they do not want that.
She said the Healing Center is awaiting approval from the Cannabis Control Commission and hopes to finalize its community host agreement with the city soon. It is unclear at this point when the business could begin operating.
The Planning Board is waiting for official feedback from the police department before deciding on the site plan for the business.
In the interest of improving the locations aesthetic, deBenedictis suggested that the company could adopt the traffic circle across from the shop and maintain it.
“I like the idea of contributing to something that we see and use in the neighborhood,” she said.
Cannaburg Cultivation Cooperative is a cultivation facility for adult-use marijuana located at 310 Broad St., the same site as Westminster Millworks.
Rob Bujold, the owner, said the business will be a cooperative grow facility in the second floor of his current business. About seven people will be employed at the building and he hopes to have someone on site around the clock.
“This is going to be a smaller scale operation than most,” he said.
Although there isn’t room for off-street parking, Bujold said he would be coming to an agreement with a neighbor to use several available spots there.
Bujold said they have already done some community outreach, and so far all the responses have been positive.
Cannaburg Cultivation Cooperative is also awaiting Cannabis Control Commission approval and a community host agreement, he said.
Several businesses have been drawn to Fitchburg with the interest of opening recreational marijuana shops, cultivation facilities, and other establishments allowed under state law.
Five recreational marijuana retailers have gained approval from the city, but none have opened yet. A total of eight are allowed to operate in the city.
There are currently 10 cultivation or processing facilities which have been approved to operate within the city, and three are currently up and running.
There is no current limit set on grow operations.
