Rochester’s Select Board Monday signed the host agreement for Megan’s Organic Market, the recreational marijuana retail store planned for 621 County Road, with two amendments, one altering the fee structure and the other a slight change in location.
Prior to the board approving and signing the document, Select Board member Brad Morse explained that state law has changed the provision that allowed a town to charge a flat fee to a marijuana-related business moving into its community. The new law, he said, states that a host community must compile the cost of services the town renders to the business and charge that amount yearly.
Of the location change, Morse said the store is merely moving from one building to the other on the same business pad and property at the Rochester Crossroads mixed use development site at Routes 58 and 28.
But the change led Megan’s Organic Market attorney Chris Alphen, appearing remotely via Zoom, to request a change in venue for the follow-up community-outreach meeting that is required under state law for a marijuana-related business moving to a Massachusetts community. He asked to be allowed to host this meeting on Zoom rather than in person.
The Select Board approved this change after Town Administrator Glenn Cannon noted few people attended the initial outreach meeting in January 2023. In fact, he said, he was the only member of the public who attended that meeting.
The Planning Board is now considering the business’s Special Permit and Site Plan Review applications. On August 8, the Planning Board continued the project’s hearing until September 12 after approving two waiver requests: a reduced distance from the stormwater treatment center of only 157.2 feet and a reduced distance between stormwater system and the sewerage system of 132 feet.
Under correspondence, Morse alluded to a recent complaint against the flagpole at the Plumb Public Library by announcing the town has no authority over the library, as it is managed by the Library Board of Trustees. He added only that the Board of Trustees meeting of September 14 will discuss the issue.
After the meeting, Cannon said he believes the flag in question was the “rainbow” flag. In a separate interview, Library Director Kristen Cardoso would not comment on the nature of the complaint, saying only that it will be discussed on September 14.
In other business within the Select Board meeting, the board approved a newcomer to town, Drew McManus, as a new associate member of the Conservation Commission. Morse noted the recent transplant to Rochester is the conservation agent for the Town of Mashpee.
The Select Board set its next meeting for Tuesday, September 5, at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way. Cannon explained this will not be a Monday meeting because September 4 is Labor Day.
Rochester Select Board
By Michael J. DeCicco