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Taunton committee recommends two retail cannabis host-community waivers amid notice dispute
Summary
A special committee recommended awarding two host-community agreement (HCA) waivers to Cape Highway Canna LLC and Trade Group LLC (Bloomcana). Freshly Baked raised legal objections over notice for a competitor's outreach meeting; the full council later ratified the committee's recommendation by roll-call vote.
The City of Taunton's Special Committee on Marijuana reviewed three applications for two available retail cannabis host-community waivers and voted to recommend Cape Highway Canna LLC (225 Cape Highway, East Taunton) and Trade Group LLC doing business as Bloomcana for the two waivers.
Committee members said the city used an objective scoring matrix; Cape Highway Canna had the highest average score (66 out of 70) and Trade Group averaged 63.83. Freshly Baked ranked third with an average of 48.1 but filed material showing it completed the required community outreach meeting on Sept. 28. Freshly Baked and an attorney, Robert Monnelli Jr. of Davis Malm, submitted a letter alleging that Cape Highway Canna's community outreach meeting did not comply with Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) rules and the city's application materials because its newspaper notice did not run at least 14 days before the meeting and therefore that applicant should be disqualified.
Committee members noted that the law department advised the notice dispute may not be dispositive at this stage because the local licensing authority had not yet issued an HCA or final approval; councilors said the committee's role was to evaluate applicants using the approved matrix. The committee voted to recommend the top two applicants; the full council later ratified the committee recommendation by roll call. The roll call recorded a majority in favor; Councilor Duarte registered a recorded vote against the recommendation.
Residents also submitted written opposition to Freshly Baked's proposed location at 254 Broadway citing proximity to an existing retail marijuana store, traffic and safety concerns. The committee recorded public correspondence from neighbors and a written letter from Deborah Carr opposing Freshly Baked due to proximity to residences and another retail marijuana facility.
The council and the committee preserved all submitted materials in the public record; the law department and chair indicated parties could raise procedural or legal challenges as appropriate.
