The Lynn City Council approved another pot shop, but this one has drawn the ire of a neighboring town. In addition, a grow facility is on track for a special permit from the council.
Tuesday night the council approved a new shop at 829A Boston St., the former O’Brien’s Pub on the Saugus line.
The shop to be opened by Massachusetts Green Retail is owned by Jordan Avery, who is also the director of security at Apothca, the medical marijuana dispensary on the Lynnway.
Attorney Sam Vitali, who represents Massachusetts Green Retail, said other bonus is that Bianchi’s Pizza of Revere Beach will also be operating in the building.
Residents in Saugus are not happy about this store.
Board of Selectmen Debra Panetta sent a letter opposing the pot shop. Special Town Council for the Town of Saugus Arthur Kreiger said part of the parking lot and a corner of the building are in Saugus. Saugus as a community voted against legalizing medical marijuana and Town Meeting voted not to allow any marijuana businesses into Saugus.
Vitali didn’t question that a portion of the property is in Saugus, adding the Lynn portion is in a commercial zone.
The council also gave the go ahead for a marijuana cultivating facility Bostica, LLC to start the special permit process for a 40,000 square-foot “grow facility” on Linden Street site of the Harvard Folding Box Company.
Attorney James Smith represented Bostica, LLC, which will go forward with a public hearing on the plan. Meetings in the ward and the city’s economic development committee will follow.
Smith said the cultivation site will handle no retail and no traffic. They hope to employ about 30 people and will enter into a host community agreement.
Councilor Rick Starbard said grow facilities often have an odor. He visited one in Fitchburg and was greeted with the distinctive odor when he got out of his car.
Smith said the construction inside will made an air-tight growing space. He said the key is the HVAC system and they are looking to do some ventilation up the smoke stake that is already with the building.