UPA Inc. is looking to open a cannabis delivery service in Maynard, but before the Select Board would be willing to sign a Host Community Agreement, UPA must overcome a few hurdles.
Atty. Nicholas Gomes, representing UPA, told the Select Board at its Aug. 17 meeting that UPA Cannabis wants to open its operation at 2-6 Powder Mill Road.
The business is a social equity firm, which is a program created by the state to give people most impacted by the War on Drugs and marijuana prohibition a pathway into the cannabis industry. In addition, delivery-only licenses are available exclusively to social equity marijuana businesses.
Gomes said the business would start out with about three vehicles, unmarked and unrecognizable. Vehicles are designed to be safe and would be tracked by GPS and equipped with cameras, he said. Marijuana would be transported in locked vaults inside the cars.
Employees would be trained and given body cameras. There would be no more than $10,000 worth of product inside a vehicle at any given time, although Gomes said he expects it would be less than that.
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The building would not be open to the public and there would be full time security during hours of operation. Any marijuana inside the building would be kept securely locked.
The company forecasts annual revenues of $17 million within three years, which would mean Maynard would receive about $1.03 million in tax revenue – 3% local tax option and 3% community impact fee.
Plans for Powder Mill Road
There are three lots on the property and UPA will operate at 2 Powder Mill Road. The remaining property would be developed under a common ownership plan, Gomes said.
“Under that common ownership we are trying to bring positive change for the community,” he said.
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UPA Cannabis has already made a pitch to Maynard’s Economic Development Committee, but that committee did not approve of the plan. That particular area has been referred to as the gateway to Maynard and the intent is to create a pedestrian-friendly area that would tie Powder Mill Road to downtown Maynard.
Rosalind Greenstein, chairwoman of the EDC, said they had no problem with the marijuana operation, but with the description of the business as a warehouse.
“A warehouse does not fit with a number of goals that are listed in the master plan for the downtown retail district. The goals are for a downtown retail district that is vibrant and retail oriented,” she said.
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Greenstein was concerned the business would not encourage foot traffic and would be better suited to a warehouse location with a parking lot.
The Select Board, while not necessarily opposed to a marijuana delivery business, wanted more information before giving the green light.
Select Board member Justine St. John said she needed more information from UPA, including architectural renderings and plans for community outreach. Of particular concern was Excelsior Comics and Games, at 8 Waltham St., a business that caters to young people, she said.
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Select Board member Armand Diarbekirian said his biggest concern was access to the river.
“Our intent as an overlay district was to make sure we had something in place that would connect the downtown area. I would love to see architectural design of what the building is going to look like. You are going to be one of the first people going in there and I would like to see how that fits into the master plan to open the river to the public,” he said.
Gomes said they would host a virtual public forum within 20 days and hoped to return to the Select Board on Sept. 21.
