EASTHAMPTON — The City Council is expected to vote in August on a proposed zoning amendment that would increase the total number of allowed cannabis retail permits from six to eight — three of which would be designated for equity applicants.
Councilor Owen Zaret, who introduced the proposal, said it would create municipal policy aiding those who have been disproportionately impacted by federal and state marijuana policy, along with local entrepreneurs, in opening marijuana businesses.
A public hearing on the proposed amendment has been set for Aug. 7.
The Cannabis Control Commission, the state’s marijuana regulatory agency, has measures in place to promote licensure for such applicants, Zaret said. But the state process to gain a license is expensive and generally dominated by big business, he said.
“We need to, as legislators, get rid of barriers and open more doors,” Zaret said.
According to the proposed amendment, an equity applicant is defined as either an “Economic Equity Applicant” certified by the CCC or the Easthampton Planning Board; a participant in the CCC Social Equity Program; a minority-owned business enterprise; a female-owned business enterprise; or an entity owned by a resident or business that has resided in the city for at least five years with a majority ownership of city residents.
According to the CCC, state-level equity programs were created because certain populations, particularly blacks and Latinos, have been impacted by high rates of arrest and incarceration for marijuana crimes.
Zaret said that though the state’s attempts to move toward equity are admirable, there should be a way for the city to aid in creating economic opportunity for marginalized communities.
“[It’s] very important to me … for people in Easthampton to be able to get involved in this industry,” Zaret said.
The proposal would mandate that equity applicants would receive priority review by the city Planning Board for special permits over non-equity applicants. Applications for equity permits require a cover letter detailing how they meet the criteria.
Three of the current six retail marijuana permits have been granted, and though INSA is the only recipient in operation, The Verb is Herb and Herbology have both received Planning Board permission to open retail marijuana stores. Green Life Dispensary and Holistic Industries have joined those three businesses in inking host community agreements with the city.
At first, Zaret said he wanted the amendment to create four non-equity permits and four equity permits. But since there were already businesses involved in the process of securing a permit, he did not want to retroactively block them from consideration.
Zaret believes that reserving the two additional permits his amendment would create for equity applicants — along with the existing one not yet spoken for — would slow the expansion of the marijuana industry in the city, allowing local entrepreneurs to gain entry into a budding market.
“They get more assistance and more time without worrying a license will get snatched up by someone with a lot more resources,” he said.
The proposed amendment also details the process through which the City Council could add additional special permits for retailers, mandating that no more non-equity permits would be allowed until there are an equal number of equity permits.
Both the Ordinance Subcommittee and the Planning Board voted to refer the proposed amendment back to the full City Council for a public hearing, which is scheduled for Aug. 7.
District 4 Councilor Salem Derby, chairman of the Ordinance Subcommittee, said the amendment fixes the lack of attention the original cannabis zoning ordinance paid to creating an equitable business atmosphere.
“When we originally were looking at creating our recreational ordinance, we were so focused on the nuts and bolts of what needed to be done as a well-crafted ordinance,” Derby said.
“It levels the playing field,” he added of the amendment.
Under the proposed amendment, a special permit for either a non-equity or equity applicant will only be considered if the application for the permit is completed, a complete license application has been received by the CCC and a host community agreement is signed.
Like any other cannabis retailer, a business must have full approval by its locality and a final license granted by the CCC before selling marijuana.
Michael Connors can be reached at mconnors@gazettenet.com.