WOONSOCKET – The Woonsocket Zoning Board on Monday voted against issuing a special use permit for a medical marijuana compassion center in the Walnut Hill Plaza.
The meeting opened with comments from Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt on the actions before the board. While she spoke in favor of two other agenda items, she voiced her opposition to the compassion center, stating that it was in close proximity to high volumes of children visiting Aero Trampoline Park, as well as residential housing.
The mayor was followed by newly appointed Director of Planning and Development Michael Debroisse, who introduced himself to the board and stated that his door is always open.
Dr. Paul Isikwe, compassion center applicant, presented the large-scale business details. Isikwe is president of the nonprofit RMI Compassion Center, and owner of the management company that would handle operations of the center.
The center would be a medical use facility only, in accordance with current Rhode Island state law. The business plan provided for a retail operation, with no marijuana cultivation happening on site. Isikwe testified that medical marijuana patients have conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, mental illnesses, and any other condition that may produce long-term pain. Providers who prescribe cannabis treatment could be any kind of specialist, such as a neurologist, oncologist, ophthalmologist or psychiatrist, to name a few.
Isikwe stated that studies have shown that medical marijuana reduces opioid consumption in communities, and that the compassion center would be a safe, health-oriented space.
Security specialist Clint Wynne, of Wynne & Associates, spoke on behalf of security at the proposed location, citing his experience at other cannabis facilities across Massachusetts and other states with legalized medical marijuana. The building would include manned security during business hours and surveillance at all other times. Wynne also pointed out that the center’s business hours had been adjusted to be closed on Saturdays, a day when more children would be attending the trampoline park.
“It isn’t new to me, but I understand it’s a new thing – it’s legal. It’s legal and it helps people,” Wynne told the board. He also spoke to the mayor’s opposition, reaffirming that the facility would be “a safe place.”
John Kane, an associate with the proposed site’s property management, testified that the company had been in talks with Isikwe and that they were in favor of the facility moving in.
No neighboring business owners in Walnut Hill Plaza attended the meeting to speak for or against the project.
The board asked many questions, with the only confusion centered around the idea of out-of-state medical cardholders and how they would be managed. Isikwe promised he would look into it further before speaking on the subject.
Board member Richard Monteiro was most vocal about his opposition to the compassion center, allowing that he was an “old guy” who doesn’t understand the difference between medical and recreational marijuana. Isikwe answered that the grade of cannabis and amount prescribed is the largest difference, with more leeway to medical patients who may require more cannabis compared to the legally allowed recreational amount in other states.
Monteiro said he was not in favor of the special use permit due to the facility’s proximity to children, and, citing the zoning ordinance, that it would disrupt the “harmony” of the community.
Vice Chairman Steven Laramee pointed out that there is already a methadone clinic across the way from the jumping facility, which would not make the compassion center “unharmonious” to the environment.
“This is a legal, medical facility. No different than a pharmacy handing out aspirin or diabetes medication,” Laramee said.
The board ended up voting 4-1 against approving a special use permit, with Rufus Bailey Jr. recusing and Laramee voting yes.
The rejection comes at a time of general buzz around recreational cannabis, stemming from early legislation at the state level. A bill legalizing recreational cannabis was introduced to the state legislature earlier this month, and the timeline for the bill could have cannabis legalized as early as Oct. 1.
The law would legalize recreational cannabis for Rhode Island adults 21 and over, as well as bring 33 dispensaries to the state. The tax benefits for the state would include a 7 percent sales tax, a 10 percent excise tax, and a local excise tax of 3 percent on recreational products sold.
It was clarified in discussion that if the permit were given, the facility would only be allowed to carry medical marijuana, not including recreational use in the case that it is legalized this year.
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