Neighbors raise traffic and odor concerns about Richardson Remedies dispensary

Planning staff told the board they received a letter from a neighbor raising multiple concerns about Richardson Remedies, a local marijuana dispensary, including parked cars waiting to enter the facility, traffic conflicts at the intersection of Bog Road, Noise Road and the dispensary driveway, and persistent odor from the facility that the writer said affects property value and indoor air when windows are open.

The letter — received the day of the meeting and circulated to the board and council — said on one date “15 to 20 cars parked on the side of the road waiting to get into this facility,” described near-miss traffic incidents and stated “The odor of marijuana is very heavy in the air on days that are overcast in winter and summer.” The letter was signed “a concerned neighbor.”

At the meeting, a planning-board member said the dispensary owner has publicly stated he had received no complaints; staff and other members said they were aware of citizen complaints in the community and that the newly submitted letter was another example. Board members asked whether the dispensary application process had been completed and where municipal review fit relative to state registration.

Planning staff said that a local dispensary application would have to be filed with the city and that the city’s process for registered dispensaries includes inspections by the chief of police, the fire chief and the code-enforcement officer; staff added that inspections are conducted prior to the public hearing. The board asked staff whether the specific application from Richardson Remedies had been submitted to the city; staff said they had not seen an application filed with the city at the time of the meeting.

Board members raised traffic-mitigation ideas suggested by the letter writer — larger stop signs, “stop sign ahead” signage and other public-works measures — and asked staff to consult Public Works. Some members also expressed concern about safety at the intersection and asked staff to pass the complaint to appropriate municipal departments for investigation.

At the close of staff reports, a board member noted the council had received a copy of the neighbor letter and said the council had already received emails about the business.

No formal enforcement action, permit revocation, or council vote occurred at the planning-board meeting; the board recorded the complaint in its packet and asked staff to follow up with public-works and the relevant municipal offices.