Cannabis dispensaries want customers to be able to walk in on a whim, lifting a formal appointment-only restriction, and much of the Somerville Planning Board's August meeting time was filled with deliberations on the requests.
The board agreed on Aug. 15 on pathways for two dispensaries, Cookies Somerville and Seed, to accept walk-in customers in the future. In addition, it issued a special permit needed to start construction at 500 Medford St., Magoun Square, to Seed. The company has a location in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood.
Retail recreational cannabis was approved by voters statewide in only 2016 and has been approached cautiously. Unlike liquor sales from stores, cannabis retail must be appointment-only under a board stipulation, with the main concern being that lifting the restriction would increase traffic too much. An additional concern raised by vice chair Amelia Aboff is that communities surrounding dispensaries have been told stores would be appointment-only, and removing the restriction would violate those expectations.
Walter Sullivan, a representative of Cookies Somerville, pointed out that Somerville cannabis stores already function as walk-in stores since customers are allowed to make appointments when they walk in. He also argued that cannabis stores are not crowded.
"It's clear just from walking around and statewide. There aren't people waiting to get in," Sullivan said. "You can use what you see in your own life experience to make that determination."
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