The Marshfield Zoning Board of Appeals heard plans for a recreational marijuana and cultivation facility proposed for Plain Street.
The applicants for Frozen 4 met remotely with the Marshfield Zoning Board of Appeals.
They’re seeking site plan approval and a special permit for a recreational marijuana cultivation and dispensary at 985 Plain Street – the current site of Buckles & Boards Ski Shop on Route 139.
Attorney Steven Guard says they have two host agreements with the town, and a provisional license from the state Cannabis Control Commission.
Applicant Ben Virga says they have adequate parking for the site – with 85 spots for retail, six accessible spots, and 38 for the production side.
“One of the anomalies about our site is the volume of parking. Most dispensaries that are opening with those parking issues that are making the news have a single-digit number of parking spaces,” said Virga. “The reason why we pursued this site, and the reason why the emergency services of the Town of Marshfield have supported our proposal is because of the number of spots we have. We’ve put together a robust plan, and would leave it in place until the Town of Marshfield felt it wasn’t needed any more.”
Don Gibson, a partner with the law firm Driscoll and Gibson across the street requested that the ZBA deny the special permit. He called the project a “disaster waiting to happen,” with the traffic that would be generated. He said the site is located off the main corridor to Marshfield (Route 139), in close proximity to Route 3.
He wanted to make sure the applicants had a traffic light installed before they would be able to open.
“They’re not putting in 125 parking spaces for the sake of it. They expect a large customer base here. He went to great lengths to say ‘you don’t have to worry about that because the exit from the facility is going to be the signalized traffic intersection at School Street,” said Gibson.
“This signalized light isn’t going to materialize for months or years as far as we know,” he added. “But all the while you’re going to let traffic – you’ve heard nothing about the number of people who are going to be accessing this as customers.”
The ZBA says the public will get another opportunity to comment. The hearing was continued to September 8.
