From left: Planning Board members Jessica Thornton, David Spina, David Sutton, Richard Utzinger, Marcus Phelps and Michael Doherty. (Photo by Peter Currier)
SOUTHWICK- The Planning Board voted to approve the special permit for the Calyx & Pistils Inc. marijuana production facility on Tuesday.
The only no-vote was from Planning Board Member Richard Utzinger. Chrisopher Lalli and William Fontaine were present to represent the company before the board seeking approval for their special permit to open the facility at 74 College Highway.
The Planning Board became hung up on whether or not a storm water management permit would be necessary for the special permit to go through. Most of the board members were okay with the notion, but they questioned whether or not the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) would go along with it. The CCC is the commission created by the state to oversee all proposed marijuana related businesses in Massachusetts.
Planning Board Chairperson Michael Doherty said that he would be okay with approving the site plan as it was presented in the meeting, but that if any changes were made in the future, everyone would have to come back to re-approve it later on. It was determined that the facility would not require the stormwater management permit due to affecting an area of less than one acre.
After the public hearing portion of the meeting closed, the planning board, Lalli, and Fontaine went through all of the findings and requirements of the approval line by line. They specified that the facility would be strictly for the production, growth, and wholesale distribution of marijuana. There will be no retail or medical sales at the facility. Rather, they will be selling their product to retail stores
“We’re going to be a wholesale facility, we’re not a retail store,” said Lalli at the company’s community outreach meeting in November, “We know that’s a big concern in town.”
During the community outreach meeting, it was pointed out to the pair that Southwick’s bylaws require that the building be set back 75 feet from the road. Fontaine and Lalli said that they had gone before the Zoning Board of Appeals to get a variance to allow them to be just 25 feet from the road. That variance was specified within the findings of the approval Tuesday evening.
When asked at the Planning Board meeting whether there would be fencing surrounding the property, Lalli and Fontaine said that there would not, but there would be a guard rail along the portion of the facility parallel to the road. During the community outreach meeting, they did say that there would be cameras dotted all over the facility. That includes two street-side cameras that can be accessed by Southwick Police.
The next step for the business is to submit the site plan by Aug. 13. After all relevant entities within Southwick have approved the facility, it must then go before the CCC for either provisional or permanent approval. They must also receive approval for their drainage system and overflow parking plans.
