Mansfield Selectmen Get First Look at Proposed Medical Marijuana Dispensary

MANSFIELD, MA - A Millis-based company is hoping to open the first medical marijuana dispensary in the area.

Wednesday night, representatives from CommCan, Inc. met with the selectmen for nearly three hours to discuss plans for a dispensary on West Street, near Forbes Boulevard.

If approved, Mansfield would be the fifth community to approve a CommCan application. The company run by real estate developers and siblings Marc and Ellen Rosenfeld have the go-ahead to open dispensaries in Millis, Framingham, and Southborough and a growing facility in Medway.

Due to state law, only those with medical marijuana cards, caregivers, employees, and specific guests would be allowed inside the building. Outside the building, the customer would have to show their state-issued medical marijuana or caregiver card through a window or camera. Once inside, a second ID has to be shown to a security guard before entry is granted. No one without a card or not approved ahead of time is allowed inside the dispensary.

Once the purchase is made, the customer must leave and can’t consume the substance inside the dispensary or in the parking lot. HD cameras will be installed inside and outside the building.

Per state law, patients can purchase up to 10 ounces of marijuana every 60 days. An online system keeps track of purchases statewide, meaning that an internet connection is needed for a store to perform transactions.

According to Marc Rosenfield, doctors do have the ability to lower the amount of marijuana their patients can purchase.

While no votes were taken, the board spent the majority of the evening asking questions and engaging in dialogue with the Rosenfields and their attorney Valerio Romano.

Selectman Doug Annino’s main concern was the building, telling the applicant he doesn’t want it to stick out.

“We would want it to blend,” he said. “Personally, I see no problem with it. I just want to make sure you’re fitting in with our community.”

“Other than the people in Mansfield who are following this, no one will know there is a marijuana dispensary except the patients,” Romano said.

Marc Rosenfield said the outside of the building would only feature the company's logo and name. There would be no references to marijuana.

Selectman Jess Aptowitz wondered if the location would be an issue.

“There’s not a lot of frontage, it’s a busy speech, there could be traffic issues no matter what goes in there,” he said.

Romano said they estimate the location could see 50 customers a day, but the number could be as low as 25 or as high as 100.

Selectman Olivier Kozlowski said he was fine with deferring the traffic aspect to the Planning Board if the process were to get that far.

Later in the meeting, Police Chief Ron Sellon told the board his department would conduct a traffic study.

On the prospect of a dispensary coming to town, Sellon said he thinks it would have an impact on public safety, but was not sure how large it would be.

In 2012, medical marijuana became legal in Massachusetts after voters approved it in a ballot initiative. The measure passed in Mansfield 7,281-4,258.

To open up a Mansfield location, CommCan requires a letter of support or non-opposition from the selectmen, a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals, and a special permit from the Planning Board.

The selectmen will decide on whether to issue a letter at their next meeting. If the board does not issue a letter of support or non-opposition, the process effectively ends.