Waltham City Council Approves New Marijuana Ordinance

WALTHAM, MA —The Waltham City Council passed an ordinance that clarifies who is responsible for approving Host Community Agreements and Letters of Support when it comes to Cannabis retailers in the city. It also outlines provisions aimed to ensure proposed recreational marijuana shops owned by minorities or Waltham residents are considered priority applicants.

The ordinance reads:

"This ordinance is intended to designate a responsible party for the negotiation of Host Community Agreements and Letters of Support or Non-Opposition for Medical Marijuana Treatment Center, Marijuana Retailer, or Cultivation Operations, Collectively Marijuana Establishments... and to create a separate local requirement intended to protect local and small businesses by requiring applicants to certify compliance with certain conditions prior to being granted a Host Community Agreement or Letter of Support ... The city deems it to be in the public interest to give initial permitting preferences for Cannabis Businesses to Priority Applicants."

Waltham voted to support medical marijuana back in 2012, with 60 percent of voters in favor, making medical marijuana dispensaries allowed. In 2015, several businesses sought to set up medicinal marijuana establishments in the city, but neither the mayor nor the city council would take responsibility approving it. At the time a Wicked Local editorial criticized the public bodies for this. Then in 2016, 55 percent of Waltham’s voters supported legalizing recreational marijuana. Despite a number of companies eyeing Waltham, the city, stuck as to how to handle them, passed two moratoriums on issuing licenses. On June 30, the moratorium lifted.

The new ordinance puts the responsibility for negotiating and executing host agreements in the hands of the mayor, eliminating any confusion. It is common for a mayor’s office to negotiate a community host agreement and then send it to a City Council for approval.

It also creates rules for what constitutes a "priority applicant."

In order to get the fast track, the business has to be owned by a Waltham resident to promote local business. Another group considered a priority applicant would be someone that the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has certified as an economic empowerment or social equity applicant, or a woman, a minority or veteran owned business.

The city council vote Monday was 12 to 2. Joey LaCava, Daniel Romard voted against the ordinance. Paul Brasco was not present.

The new ordinance would make Middlesex Integrative Medicine, Inc, a medicinal marijuana establishment, which has applied for a letter of support from the city, a priority applicant because it is owned by a woman.

The shop has been eyeing 305 Second Ave., an 8,079-square-foot space that used to be a TD Bank.

Related:

Marijuana In Waltham: Public Hearing Kicks Up Debate ...

Marijuana In Waltham: Public Hearing Brings Out Dozens

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).