Residents express concerns about traffic caused by cannabis shop

Feb. 14, 2019 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

CHICOPEE – The 10 residents who attended a meeting about a potential marijuana retailer setting up shop at 672 Fuller Road were far less interested in discussing the nature of the proposed business and far more interested in talking about the traffic on Fuller Road and the conditions of the road.

At one point, one resident said, “Good luck! I hope you sell a lot to get our road fixed.”

Brendan Pollock, the CEO and co-owners of Theory Wellness (www.theorywellness.org) explained the state-mandated meeting was to address certain key points about the proposal, but he was interested in hearing what resident said.

Theory Wellness was selected to apply for a license through a Request for Proposals process by the city, Pollock added.

If the licensing process goes well, Pollock said he anticipates the site would open in August or early fall. It would have a “robust alarm system, limited access controls and full camera coverage of the facility.”

He added the store would not have armed guards, but will have a system that check IDs at three different points. The company is working with several banks, he noted, which eliminates large amounts of cash on the premises.

“We will have less money than an average pharmacy with an inventory that includes opioids,” Pollock said.

Pollack said the store would create 18 to 30 jobs and the company will “do its best to hire residents of Chicopee.” The company would contribute at least $50,000 annually to a Chicopee-based non-profit organization.

The building proposed for the store is an industrial structure last used by NRG solar company. The building fulfills the city’s regulations about not being close to residences or schools and has a large parking lot, Pollock explained.

Pollack said Theory Wellness already operates a retail store for recreation and medical use in Great Barrington and a medical dispensary in Bridgewater and has its own growing facility. Pollock said the company, which has been in business three and half years, chose Chicopee because of its central location to their other locations.

Some residents expressed concern about the traffic impact on Fuller Road, which they noted was already too busy. Pollock said a traffic study had been completed and it was predicted the store would add several hundred additional cars to the road daily.

Several residents who use Fuller Road said the shop would make traffic worse and that they can’t easily get out of their driveways now.

Pollock said just as in great Barrington, he would use a police detail to manage traffic when the store opens.

He believes that with stores coming on line in other communities such as Springfield, the traffic impact for his shop would be decreased as competition grows between stores.

“In the long run there will be much, much more competition,” Pollock said.

Residents also noted the physical condition of Fuller Road now and how it needs repair also being a concern.

One resident who lives on Baskin Road expressed a concern about the process in Chicopee, “Nothing we say is going to change anything.”

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