Planning Board recommends removing ban on on-site packaging at cannabis retailers

The Cambridge Planning Board on May 6 voted to recommend that the City Council adopt a zoning petition to remove a local prohibition on packaging and repackaging of cannabis products at retail stores.

Planning staff said the proposed change would strike the clause in the city’s cannabis-use standards that requires retail cannabis products to be prepackaged off-site unless the store met production-facility requirements. Staff presented the change as part of broader updates to align local rules with state law and to retain certain operability and public-health protections in the city’s cannabis business permit process.

Christina (last name given in the record as representing the Economic Opportunity and Development Division) summarized the history: Cambridge has regulated medical and adult-use cannabis since 2015–2018, requires both a state Cannabis Control Commission license and a local host-community agreement, and also issues a local cannabis business permit. Staff said changes at the state level — notably the Cannabis Control Commission’s authority and the 2023 act addressing equity in the industry — prompted a review of locally imposed restrictions that conflict with state rules.

The zoning language proposed for removal reads in part that “all products offered to consumers shall be prepackaged off-site and no packaging or repackaging of cannabis or marijuana products shall take place on the premises of a cannabis retail store unless it also meets the requirements of a cannabis production facility.” Staff said the city plans to move criteria such as odor-control plans and other operational expectations into the cannabis business permitting ordinance, where staff can evaluate them in context of each applicant’s building and operations.

Two Cambridge dispensary representatives who called into the public hearing — Saba Moses of Greensoul and Steven DeMarco of a forthcoming dispensary — spoke in favor, saying on-site repackaging and white-labeling would help businesses compete and offer tailored packaging options for customers. Planning Board members discussing the petition noted that state labeling and anti-tampering regulations apply, and several members said local regulation should align with the state.

Board member Ted (H. Theodore Cohen) moved the recommendation that the City Council adopt the petition. Diego Macias seconded; the roll call of the five regular members present was unanimous in favor: H. Theodore Cohen, Mary Liedecker, Diego Macias, Ashley Tam and Chair Mary Flynn voted yes. The board’s recommendation accompanies staff plans to shift operational criteria (including an odor-nuisance plan requirement) into the city cannabis business permit rules and the forthcoming ordinance committee work.

Planning staff said the amendment is timely because the Cannabis Control Commission has notified municipalities that a local prohibition on repackaging conflicts with state code and the Commission has made an HCA-waiver form available. Staff told the board they will continue to require local permit-level review (cannabis business permit) and suggested moving operational criteria to that permit to allow staff to evaluate odor-control and building-specific issues without maintaining a broad zoning prohibition.