Springfield City Council approves dispensary special permit request

Oct. 5, 2022 | Matt Conway
mconway@thereminder.com

Steve Mrowzinski discusses his request for a special permit to open a dispensary on 732 Cottage St.
Photo Credit: Focus Springfield

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council approved a special permit for a retail cannabis dispensary at 732 Cottage St. during its Sept. 27 hearings meeting.

Cannabis Advisor Brian Dombrowski discussed the ongoing progress of the proposed cannabis establishment. He assured the council that the dispensary’s staff would be comprised primarily of Springfield residents. Dombrowski also shared that the business is actively reaching compliancy on security and odor control measures.

“We will work with a mechanical engineer to make sure that the odor is taken care of … The product that we carry will be sealed when it’s delivered, so there won’t be extra odor from open packages,” said Dombrowski.

Owners of the business Steve Mrowzinski and Michelle Travis Mrowzinski highlighted their plans with the dispensary. Steve shared that he discovered the medical impacts of cannabis while working as an acupuncturist. Steve said his discovery inspired him to become involved in cannabis advocacy in New York, which included aiding in the bill writing for medical and recreational businesses in the state.

“Through that path, I started being an advocate in New York state for medical cannabis … All of that led me to coming to Springfield and trying to open a dispensary. The reason I do this is because I believe in cannabis as a medicine,” said Mrowzinski.

Steve stressed his intentions to provide “safe access to lab-tested cannabis” through the dispensary space. He shared that the business is also receiving advisement from Debby Goldsberry – a California business owner who opened one of the first dispensaries in the country.

“Debby’s going to move out for a couple months from California to help us open the dispensary,” said Steve.

Michelle, a publicist and event planner in New York, discussed her background as an advocate for cannabis use. She shared that cannabis helped aid her daughter as she was dealing with anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder.

“I saw that how [cannabis] helped her and healed her. My goal is to open the dispensary, be a great neighbor for the neighborhood and give opportunities to those who would like a career in this business,” said Michelle.

Steve and Michelle said they will both be relocating to the area as they take on management responsibilities for the dispensary.

President of the East Springfield Neighborhood Council Kathleen Brown also spoke on the dispensary proposal. Brown said she and neighborhood council “carefully vetted” the Mrowzinskis’ business – a process that included several community outreach meetings and direct communication with the neighborhood council board. Ultimately, Brown expressed support in the business and their special permit request.

“We’ve asked all kinds of questions about security, odor, staffing [and] equity … After very careful review, the neighborhood council believes and has voted that this is an appropriate use and all the accommodations have been provided for,” said Brown.

The council asked the petitioners questions about parking, the businesses’ leadership and the dispensary’s host community agreement (HCA). Steve said the dispensary received an HCA agreement from Mayor Domenic Sarno, although the HCA process requires additional review from the City Council before agreements are finalized, according to City Council President Jesse Lederman. Deputy Director of Planning Philip Dromey stressed that a finalized HCA is not required at the time of voting for the dispensary’s special permit approval.

Steve also shared there is an agreed plan with nearby properties that would allow for additional parking during heavy traffic times.

Ward 6 City Councilor Victor Davila expressed support for the dispensary and their special permit request.

“I can tell you have a lot of passion for this business … If you were properly vetted by my friends of the East Springfield Neighborhood Council, you will be a great fit for that location,” said Davila.

The City Council approved the special permit request in a unanimous vote.

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