🔨 Where There's Smoke, There's Debate: Pot Discussion Lights Up
Stewart - Morales Not Running for Re-election | 16 South Street Property Sold | Concert Series is back | The Civic Week Ahead
Good evening, Framingham. It is Monday of the second full week of July. My garden is looking a little soggy, how about yours?
The Ham’er podcast is now available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Thank you for all the great feedback about the first episode with Judy Grove. This week I’m sitting down with Ron Chick to discuss all things trails and how Framingham is poised to be the Hub of Trails in MetroWest.
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Okay, let’s get to this week’s issue…
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Where There's Smoke, There's Debate: Pot Discussion Lights Up
“There are a lot of mixed messages,” said Council Chair Phil Ottaviani, appropriately summing up the latest debate about cannabis licenses and the retail zoning map at the last Council meeting on Tuesday, June 27.
What comes first: the map or the licenses?: What was supposed to be a routine vote on the second reading of expanding the number of pot retail licenses turned into an hour and ten minute discussion weaving in circles around expanding the retail zoning map. Like every time this Council touches the issue of pot, it becomes a heated and spirited debate about maps, locations and whether or not there is an appetite for expanding said retail map.
The debate, briefly: Councilors Mallach and Cannon kicked off the debate asking why more licenses are being added without a review of the current zoning, with Cannon adding that not every area of the city is served by these types of establishments. Councilor Stefanini said there is little appetite to expand the map citing the times it comes up, it results in sending it to a subcommittee or a close vote with no action. Long concurred and argued zoning cannot be changed on a whim.
When was the last time the map was reviewed? The Council last reviewed the current map on May 3, 2022, on their agenda it says:
“Upon request of the Planning & Zoning Subcommittee, a report and recommendation to vote “take no action” on expanding the Marijuana Establishment Overlay District or increase the number of licenses at this time “
April 20, 2022: Planning & Zoning Subcommittee voted 4-1-0 (Long, Leombruno, Cannon, Bryant - Stewart-Morales) to “take no action” on expanding the map citing Sarkis Sarkisian’s then recent appointment and restructuring of the Economic Development office.
May 3, 2022: Council meeting, the Council voted 5-6-0 (Long, Bryant, Alexander, Ottaviani, Mallach - Cannon, Stewart-Morales, King, Leombruno, Stefanini, Steiner) on the motion. The subcommittee was encouraged not to wait to take up the issue again, and keep the work going.
August 30, 2022: Council creates the Marijuana Ad Hoc Committee to discuss expansion of licenses and the zoning area where dispensaries can be located in the city. In May 2023, the group voted to study expansion of the zoning district and number of licenses.
So, now what? Councilor Steiner proposed a motion for the city to provide the Council with a map showing where cannabis stores can be located in every retail business district in every part of the city.
Cannon amended it to involve the Planning Board in the discussion.
Long, chair of the Planning and Zoning Subcommittee, said this was already happening and that her committee was to meet on July 10 with the Economic Development Office on this issue. Stefanini pointed out that the map can easily be generated on the city’s Geographic information system (GIS) website.
Council voted 7-4 (Cannon, Mallach, Steiner, Leombruno, King, Ottaviani, Stewart-Morales - Long, Stefanini, Alexander, Bryant) in favor of producing the map and exploring expanding the zoning into other areas outside of Route 9.
We have a map! While researching for today’s issue, I came across the map to be discussed at tonight’s (July 10th) Planning & Zoning meeting. Take a look.
The area in tan are the areas zoned for business retail of any kind.
The grey circles are buffer zones. Marijuana stores cannot be within 500 feet of a school, for example.
If the zoning was expanded from the section of Route 9, retail stores can go into Downtown Framingham, Nobscot, Saxonville, Route 135, and in offshoot neighborhoods.
Oh, what about that license? The Council voted 9-2 (Stefanini, Long, Leombruno, Steiner, King, Alexander, Ottaviani, Stewart-Morales, Bryant - Cannon, Mallach) to expand the license to 9. I wrote about the license expansion a few issues ago.
What do you think? Should the marijuana retail zoning map be expanded? Take the poll. Stay tuned, this isn’t over.
Stewart-Morales Not Running for Re-Election
District 2 Council Cesar Stewart-Morales announced he will not seek a third term on the Council.
According to the MetroWest Daily News, Stewart-Morales cited his growing family and obligations with other MetroWest-related organizations as reasons for choosing not to run for re-election.
Stewart-Morales was elected in 2019, and again in 2021.
Two Throw Their Hat in the Race: Upon the announcement of him not seeking re-election, two individuals have pulled nomination papers: Brandon Ward, President of Friends of Saxonville and current member of the Keefe Tech Board, and Sean Silk, a Delmar Avenue resident. Ward had previously applied to be District 2 School Committee after the passing of Karen Foran Dempsey and then after the resignation of Ricky Finlay.
Nomination papers to run for office are available at the Clerk’s Office in the Memorial Building. Deadline to file nomination papers in the Clerk’s Office is Friday, July 14, 2023 at 12:30pm
16 South Street Property Sold
The rundown Chicken Bone maybe a distant memory soon: 16 South Street, LLC, an affiliate of Boston developers Boghos Properties, purchased 358 Waverly Street for $1.5 million in February and 380 Waverly and 16 South Street for $2.1 million from the Edward M. Kennedy Health Center in June.
According to the Worcester Business Journal: The land purchase will not affect the EMK Health Center, which provides health care to many residents in the area.
What is to be built there? The plan is for a 6 story mixed-use building with 176 residential units, along with 2900 square feet of retail and garage parking. The master site review was approved by the Framingham Planning Board in November 2022.
Summer Concerts are Back
We are two weeks into the summer concert series on the Framingham Centre Common. These concerts are a great family activity on those fun Friday nights during the summer.
Here is this year’s line-up! Don’t worry, Deadheads, you haven’t missed the Grateful Dead cover band!
The Civic Week Ahead
Tuesday, July 11
1:30 PM: Council on Aging Agenda
Wednesday, July 12
Thursday, July 13
2:00 PM: Traffic Commission - Traffic Regulation Subcommittee Agenda
Wednesday is supposed to be sunny and 90 degrees. What a change from the rain!
Stay dry everyone,
Mary Kate
Does the Traffic Commission think of the impact on the traffic in Framingham with the building of all these apartment complexes (usually every apt has at least 2 cars). From 2 pm-6:30 pm you can barely go north on Union Ave. Or going west on Route 9 at those same times. It's like the Southeast Expressway located in Framingham. I asked a councilman once why the public transportation (what little we have) is never on time and he said because of the traffic..duh! Sorry to be snarky but it just seems no one is interested in alleviating the traffic problem. I have lived in Framingham for 40 years and it's 10X worse that it was 20 years ago.
Thanks for listening.
Kudos for fixing Route 9 East at Route 126 overpass where it used to always flood. No flooding after this torrential rainstorm. Thank you!