The City Council approved two special permits for marijuana growers this week, and in the process discussed possible changes to city cannabis ordinances that the council is considering.
The two businesses, Massbiology Technology LLC and EMB Natural Ventures LLC, are planning to operate marijuana manufacturing operations in vacant buildings on the Connecticut River at 6 Appleton St. and 140 Middle Water St., respectively. They are part of a large number of manufacturing facilities looking to locate in Holyoke, which has focused on attracting those operations to the city’s commercial areas.
At-Large Councilor Rebecca Lisi said that the Massbiology Technology operation would employ 25 people, with a “living wage” and benefits, per shift. The second of those applicants, EMB Natural Ventures, requested to remove from its special permit conditions regarding the hours it can operate — a request that was ultimately granted. The company was before the council because it has now decided to rebuild the building it intends to occupy instead of renovating the property.
Jeffrey Dannenber, who represented the company at the meeting, said that as a manufacturer the facility requires a “skeleton crew” after 8 p.m. For that reason, the company asked that a limit on operation hours — a standard condition the council has applied to many other marijuana operation special permits — be waived.
Some councilors spoke in favor of that amendment to the special permit, including acting Mayor and Ward 2 Councilor Terrence Murphy. He said the company has decided to invest in Holyoke, despite realizing that the building it intended to rehabilitate could not be renovated. Lisi said that the company’s plan is for the building to have a brick face similar to the original property.
Ward 3 Councilor David Bartley expressed opposition to striking the condition on operating hours, saying the request could be made in the future. However, the council ultimately accepted striking the condition.
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