The Licensing Commission has continued a hearing on special additional rules for marijuana establishments to its March meeting.
The commission opened the public hearing at its meeting on Thursday, Jan. 17.
While the hearing did not generate much controversy, commissioners did agree that they wanted more time to consider several issues, including language limiting where retail marijuana shops can be concentrated, and the amount the city will charge for application fees.
“I’d like to see more research and see what nearby cities have done and what their challenges are,” said commission member Roseann Bongiovanni.
Currently, there are three applications in the works for retail marijuana shops in the city. The city will allow a maximum of four retail licenses.
According to the proposed regulation, the Licensing Commission will not issue a license to anyone who has violated Licensing Commission rules and regulations in the past five years. All licenses are subject to zoning approval and state Cannabis Control Commission approval.
The operating hours for retail shops will be limited to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and all signage will have to be approved by the city, according to City Solicitor Cheryl Watson Fisher.
“We are trying to be a little more restrictive now so we don’t have to clean up after the fact, like with liquor licenses,” said Fisher.
The section of the proposed regulations that garnered the most discussion among commission members was one which would limit the concentration of where retail marijuana shops can be located.
Fisher noted that the language included in the draft regulations, limiting retail shops to one per voting district and not within 500 feet of another retail marijuana store, was not included by the legal department. She said it was included because it was a request made during a past public hearing on marijuana regulations.
“We already have a very small area in Chelsea, and retail shops are already restricted to three zones and can’t be within 500 feet of schools,” said Fisher. “It is already quite restrictive of where you can put a facility.”
The city will allow marijuana establishments in the Industrial, Shopping Center, and Business Highway zone.
Licensing Commission Chairman Mark Rossi said he’d like the commission to have more discretion over where facilities can be located.
“Our job is to factor in the input from the community and the licensees,” said Rossi.
Much like it does with liquor licenses, Rossi said the Licensing Commission will be getting input from the community, police and fire departments, and other city officials when it comes to making a final determination on issuing a marijuana license.
“This committee is uniquely situated to make that determination,” he said.
Commission member James Guido said he would like more information on limiting concentration in voting districts before making a final decision on the proposed regulation.
Rossi also said he had questions about the $5,000 application and annual renewal fee for marijuana establishments, stating he would like to see a higher number.
Rossi said the application fees and concentration of locations will be discussed when the hearing is continued at its March 7 meeting.
“This is a big issue that affects everyone,” he said.
•In other business, the Licensing Commission adjusted its penalty for Rincon Latinos restaurant at 373 Washington Ave. In December, the commission suspended the restaurant’s liquor license for eight days spread over four weekends for repeated instances of exceeding its capacity.
Last week, the commission agreed to suspend the license for two weekends in January, as well as for a five-day stretch during the week when a new handicap bathroom will be installed by the restaurant owners.
The new bathroom will allow Rincons Latinos to increase its capacity from 17 to 28 people, according to John Dodge, the attorney representing the owners.