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HediCo seeks delivery authorization; board agrees to fee difference and continues hearing to March 24
Summary
Attorney James McMahon told the Gardner City Planning Board that new social-equity owners of HediCo want a delivery license so the facility can dispatch directly to residences; board members agreed to charge a 10-cent-per-square-foot fee difference and continued the public hearing to March 24 for follow-up on police review and drafted findings.
James McMahon, counsel for HediCo, told the Gardner City Planning Board on March 10 that the company has changed ownership and the new owners are requesting a minor modification to their existing special permit to allow delivery operations from the cultivation and manufacturing facility.
McMahon said the buyers, Isaac Stall and Tola Sears, are social-equity certified and would be eligible for a delivery extension the Cannabis Control Commission has permitted for social-equity applicants through 2029. "The Cannabis Control Commission has recently allowed that delivery extension for Social Equity applicants through 2029," McMahon said.
The requested amendment would let HediCo process orders at its grow facility and dispatch an approved vehicle to make deliveries to residences. McMahon described operational safeguards: vehicles approved by the Cannabis Control Commission have cameras, a lock box, GPS tracking and two-way communications; drivers wear identification and body cameras; orders are verified through an app and ID checks at point of delivery. "It can only be dispatched to a residence. So, someone comes to the front door, we would say, 'Please go home and place an order,'" McMahon said when asked about customers seeking walk-in service.
Board members pressed for confirmation that local law-enforcement would review security plans. McMahon said applicants must submit a security plan to the police chief and that the Cannabis Control Commission coordinates with police during the licensing process; he added that a letter from the police chief would be a supporting document but said the police response would not be a legal prerequisite for the board to continue deliberations.
City staff told the board that changing the use to permit delivery retail alters the fee schedule: the retail fee is roughly 10 cents per building square foot higher than the facility's current fee classification. Based on the building size cited in the file (about 9,300 square feet), staff estimated the additional charge would be the 10-cent-per-square-foot differential. Board members said they preferred charging the difference rather than waiving the fee.
The applicants said they are preparing required special findings and a Habitat/Conservation Assessment and will follow up on whether the police chief supplied a new letter addressing delivery operations. The board voted to continue the public hearing to its March 24 meeting and to apply the fee differential; the applicant was told to provide the supporting materials and the fee payment at that meeting.
The board did not make a final decision on the special-permit amendment at the March 10 session; it continued the hearing to allow the HediCo team to supply the drafted HCA, special findings and any updated police correspondence.
