PALMER – For the third time, a public hearing on the proposed cannabis establishment set to occupy a portion of the existing building at 111b Breckenridge St. was continued.

The first public hearing took place during the Planning Board meeting on Aug. 15 and was continued until Sept. 12. Due to the lack of necessary information required for approval, the public hearing was continued until Oct. 3.

On Oct. 3, Chairman Michael Marciniec informed attendees that earlier in the day, Hancock Associates, the engineers on the project, submitted a letter of request for continuance until the Planning Board’s Dec. 5 meeting.

The applicant, Oraka Wellington, is seeking a special permit and site plan approval to renovate a portion of the existing building and to construct an approximate 3,000 square foot cannabis cultivation facility.
At the past two hearings, over a dozen abutters and residents of Palmer have gathered to ask questions and express their concerns with the proposed facility, such as odor control.

Russ Tedford, civil engineer on the project from Sherman and Frydryk, informed Reminder Publishing that the reason they requested a continuance was to provide Wellington with more time to gather necessary information.

For instance, Tedford said Wellington needs a letter of confirmation from the Police Department, along with letters from the Palmer Water District and the sewer department. By not having these letters at the Oct. 3 meeting, Tedford explained that it would have continued the public hearing anyways.

“[The] intent is to have everything by Dec. 5,” he said. He added that they are sticking to this date to ensure that the peer review is complete, allowing the process to be “more streamlined.”

With a few Planning Board meetings before then, Marciniec questioned the Dec. 5 date. However, Linda Leduc, town planner/economic development director, said based on the way it has been going, it’s best to go with the date they have set in their minds.

The Planning Board voted unanimously in favor of continuing the public hearing until Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.