WESTFIELD – Robert Wolf and Kaily Hepburn of New England Agriculture Technologies and a representative from Sherman and Frydryk Land Survey came before the Planning Board on Aug. 19 seeking a special permit, site plan and stormwater permit for a 33,000 sq. ft. marijuana greenhouse and a 4,000 square-foot, two-story retail store on 0 Progress Avenue.
Progress Avenue is located on the northside near Falcon Drive.
Following the presentation and questioning from members of the board, the hearing was continued to Sept. 15.
The representative from Sherman and Frydryk Land Survey described the general parameters of the project to the Planning Board. He said the greenhouse will be for marijuana cultivation and the retail space to sell marijuana products. He said the applicant also has the intention of developing a drive-through window on the retail building, which is included in the plans.
There will be an access driveway from Progress Ave to direct people to the retail space, with an exit on Falcon Drive. The site is in the Westfield Industrial Park over the aquifer.
Parking for customers would be close to the retail operation, with employee parking around the greenhouse area. The greenhouse will also have a loading area to bring in materials.
The project is intended to keep all stormwater on the site with an infiltration basin, closed drainage to collect runoff, and a gentle swale around the rear of the property to ensure that the runoff from the greenhouse makes it to the infiltration basin, according to the surveyor.
In response to specific questions from the board about the retail business, Wolf said they have been more focussed on the greenhouse, and the retail operation is unique for them to this site.
He said the greenhouse is sealed with very limited access; with robot structures, fairly high technology and highly secured. He said, as in every large scale agricultural operation, it will be highly automated, with sensors to determine the temperature, humidity, and air content. He said the automated process takes priority over the operator’s function and can be controlled remotely. “They also run themselves. There’s a great deal of security in the operational sense, also,” he said.
Wolf said New England Agriculture Technologies are the builders and developers of the buildings, which they own and will lease out to the cannabis licensee, who was not present on the call.
“We fill that big gap to raise the capital, put the engineering together and execute the project. We will own these buildings and lease them out to the applicant, who receives the license from the Cannabis Control Commission,” Wolf said
Wolf said their goal is to get the site permitted for the buildings’ use, and the applicant to get licensed from the CCC and obtain a host community grant with the city. He said the original plan for the site was for the greenhouse, but the opportunity for a retail license came up in discussions with the city, which has two remaining retail licenses.
“If the city grants him that license for retail, this is the obvious location. Same applicant, same operator, but two different functions. Our original intent was to put the greenhouse there; the retail was an opportunity with the city to receive a license,” Wolf said.
Hepburn said they are going through the Request for Proposal process with the town with Tammy Tefft, who said she and Mayor donald F. Humason Jr will determine who is going to get the last two retail permits.
Asked how many employees the businesses would have, Wolf said with a grow facility like this one, there would be 15 to 20 employees, part-time and full time. On the retail side, 30 employees altogether, according to the plan.
Planning Board members further questioned the developers about HVAC filtering, disposal of waste, security, lighting, signage, and a buffer to the abutting property, a vacant wooded lot zoned residential. They asked for visual renderings for both of the buildings for the next meeting.
A motion was made to continue the hearing to Sept. 15.
