HOLYOKE — On Tuesday, the City Council granted a special permit to Four Trees Holyoke LLC to operate a recreational marijuana manufacturing and retail establishment at 1 Cabot St., the former Dennison National building.
The company presented its plans during the Jan. 14 Ordinance Committee meeting. Four Trees described itself as a “blue-collar” startup specializing in large-scale cannabis cultivation.
The company is also one of six providing training and technical assistance to other marijuana entrepreneurs through the state’s Social Equity Program, working with the Cannabis Control Commission, which oversees the medical and recreational marijuana industry.
Holyoke City Councilor Rebecca Lisi, who chairs the committee, said Four Trees provided a comprehensive proposal.
The company expects 200 customers daily and plans to hire 10 full- and part-time employees for the retail side and a dozen workers for the cultivation end.
At the Jan. 14 public hearing, company representative Steven Goldman said, “Our dream is to create Four Trees Holyoke as a small craft-growing shop that complements the restoration efforts occurring in the city.”
He expects a late-fall opening, which is dependent on the state licensing process.
The business will occupy 18,000 square feet of the building at street level. The store and offices will occupy 3,500 square feet, with the cultivation side taking up the remaining space.
“We anticipate interior renovations of the building will begin sometime in the spring of this year,” Goldman told the committee. “We’re going to work closely with all Holyoke departments to make sure it’s done in a compliant manner.”
Goldman anticipates the facility would have 15 parking spaces, including a handicap-accessible parking spot. Four Trees will encourage employees to park off-site or take alternative transportation.
The plans include building an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp leading to the main entrance, a chain-link fence around the delivery and waste area, repairs to an existing platform, and paving.
Four Trees requested operating hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in its application, but Lisi asked the council to amend the special permit allow the company to have more flexible hours, within the limits of city ordinances. The council voted in favor of Lisi’s amendment.
The special permit comes with conditions Four Tree must follow, including submitting a traffic mitigation plan, filling at least 30% of nonsecurity positions with Holyoke residents, giving hiring preference for security positions to retired police officers, no consumption of marijuana on the premises and no home or individual deliveries.
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