Taunton subcommittee hears pitches from three cannabis retailers; reconvenes after community outreach

Taunton’s Special Committee on Marijuana met to hear presentations from three applicants competing for up to two host community agreement waivers for retail cannabis licenses. Chair Councilor Sanders explained the Local Licensing Authority process and said the committee will submit recommendations to the full municipal council only after applicants complete required community outreach and the committee finalizes objective scoring sheets.

Why it matters: The committee can recommend up to two applicants; state and municipal rules give extra points to social equity applicants. Committee members said they would withhold public disclosure of individual scoring until the full process — including community outreach meetings — is complete.

Cape Highway Canna LLC, proposed for 225 Cape Highway, presented a veteran- and minority-owned, locally based retail model and described a site in a highway business district more than three miles from Taunton’s nearest retailer. The applicants described security protocols including TokenWorks ID verification, 24/7 monitored surveillance with long retention, a reinforced vault for product storage and use of Metrc for inventory tracking. They estimated construction could take four to six months after demolition and said they would apply for a special permit and the state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) licenses if granted the host community agreement. The applicants told the committee they aim to hire 50% women, 50% Taunton residents and 35% people of color and described planned YMCA partnerships and neighborhood charitable outreach.

Freshly Baked Company proposed a compact, Taunton-focused retail outlet at 264 Broadway and emphasized local ownership and veteran status. Presenter Preciously Biggs said the operation would be small (about 600 square feet of sales floor), largely carry Freshly Baked products and rely on a vertical-integration strategy to stabilize margins. The applicant reported a $300,000 project budget already in hand, cited a social equity grant award that the applicant said totaled $500,000 across projects, and said they would submit proof of funds to the clerk when asked by the committee. Freshly Baked described prior experience operating since 2018, said it has run delivery and manufacturing operations and noted an operational compliance history with the CCC and near-zero inspection deficiencies.

Trade Group LLC, doing business as Bloomcana and affiliated with Tower 3, presented a retail plan for 600 County Street (applicants had to correct an address error in the packet). Tower 3’s presenters emphasized cultivation and manufacturing experience and said they grow organically in living soil, run sustainability practices (glass packaging, water recapture and soil reuse) and have robust compliance systems. The applicant provided proof-of-funds documentation in the room and estimated a larger buildout cost (applicants cited about $1.3 million for startup plus working capital) with an opening target in 2027 if approvals and construction proceed on schedule. Tower 3 emphasized local hiring targets and community educational programs led by an educator on the team to reduce diversion risk.

What committee members pressed on: Councillors repeatedly asked about (1) proof of funds and how grant awards have been used; (2) precise distances to residential property and other dispensaries (the committee said measurements will be verified on site); (3) the length of time needed to permit and build each project; and (4) community outreach timing — candidates agreed that 21 days’ notice is a reasonable minimum for local outreach postings. The committee asked that applicants not publicly disclose their in-process scoring until the Local Authority reconvenes.

Public comment: A Taunton resident praised Tower 3 for neighborhood responsiveness and cleanliness, telling the committee he had seen improvements after the applicant acquired a building where previous tenants had caused problems.

Next steps: The subcommittee required each applicant to hold the required community outreach meeting and agreed to reconvene to finalize scoring and forward recommendations to the municipal council; the committee proposed Wednesday, October 8 at 6:00 p.m. as a reconvening date. The meeting adjourned after a motion that passed by voice vote.

No formal license awards or votes on applicants were taken at this meeting; the committee’s recommendations will follow the reconvening after community outreach and verification of materials such as proof-of-funds and site measurements.