Four Marijuana Dispensaries Under Consideration in Somerville

SOMERVILLE, MA – Somerville is now allowing selected applicants to pursue special permits that will allow medical marijuana dispensaries at four approved locations in the city, the mayor's office announced Wednesday.

The announcement comes following a major step forward this week in establishing dispensaries in Somerville -- four selected applicants were sent letters of non-opposition, which gives them the green light to initiate the process.

Somerville's three-member Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee, comprised of Director of Planning George Proakis, Director of Health and Human Services Doug Kress and Deputy Chief of Police Stephen Carrabino, reviewed applications under the guidelines of the medical marijuana dispensary ordinance adopted earlier this year. The committee considered factors such as product security, professional qualifications and pharmaceutical focus.

Recommendations were only given within the district established by the ordinance, which restricts dispensaries to business districts with access to public transit.

The four locations to receive approval are two in Davis Square, one in Union Square and one in the East Broadway business district.

"Our community voted overwhelmingly in favor of making medical marijuana available to patients as did voters across the Commonwealth," Curtatone said in a statement. "In Somerville, we took time to develop a rigorous process for review of applicants and locations and now it is time to move forward to ensure that people in chronic pain, cancer patients, and others suffering from a variety of illnesses and symptoms that can be effectively treated with medical marijuana have safe and reasonable access to this treatment option. Somerville aims to fulfill its duty and responsibility to meet this public mandate."

Next, the applicants will need to secure a state license, as well as a discretionary special permit from the Somerville Zoning Board of Appeals. During this process there will be opportunities for community input, the mayor's office said.

Two qualified applicants were approved for the same Union Square site, so the property owner must select a tenant to continue to the special permit process.

"There has been significant interest in opening dispensaries in Somerville, just as there has been strong public support for developing an approach that fits with the character of our walkable, transit-oriented community," Proakis said in a statement. "While many communities have encouraged dispensaries to be far from urban activity, the Somerville community embraced an approach that sites dispensaries in our business districts and squares. This both provides for easier access for patients as well as enhanced security and safety."

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