Trichome Health, a cannabis business that had applied to locate a retail store in Harvard, has withdrawn its application. Trichome representatives cited difficulties finding an affordably priced property capable of accommodating high traffic flow.
In a letter to Harvard Town Administrator Tim Bragan, Trichome Director of Community Relations Greg Czarnowski explained that negotiations to purchase the property at 187 Ayer Road had broken down in a dispute over pricing. He further stated that Trichome would not locate any closer to the Ayer town line, as that would put the business too close to a competing marijuana retailer being planned in Ayer.
Trichome had first planned to locate at 184 Ayer Road, the Coldwell Banker building near the Route 2 overpass, but this plan was shot down during Trichome’s presentation to the Select Board at the board’s Sept. 18 meeting. As 184 Ayer Road is extremely close to the entrance and exit ramps of Route 2, Select Board members anticipated that Trichome’s customers would interfere with highway interchange traffic and that customers from out of town might cause a back-up onto the exit ramp during rush periods, especially since Trichome’s business plan anticipated 250 daily customers.
When interviewed by the Press, Trichome CEO Alexander Mazin said that Trichome would keep an eye on properties in Harvard’s commercial district in the hopes that one suited to Trichome’s needs might become available, but that he did not anticipate this occurring. He stated, “We are struggling to find a property that fits our budget and our needs, and makes sense for the town.” Trichome already has marijuana businesses under construction in other Massachusetts towns, so it may remain poised to seek new outlets in the future.
Opening a new cannabis business in Harvard may soon become impossible, as the bylaw approved at the 2018 Annual Town Meeting prohibits more than one such business from locating in town, and Coil Brothers Concentrates continues making progress toward acquiring this single license. Formerly competing with Trichome for the license, Coil Brothers is currently the only applicant. Coil Brothers will meet with the Planning Board at its Oct. 15 meeting for a site plan review.
Coil Brothers is a marijuana manufacturing company looking to locate at the Appleworks Building at 325 Ayer Road. It will process approximately 6 to 12 pounds of raw cannabis per day and sell the resulting oils wholesale to other marijuana businesses (retail, medical, and research). Coil’s representatives have repeatedly stated that they expect the business to be nearly invisible once it is running, as no retail customers will be visiting the building and deliveries will be handled by a single unmarked van arriving approximately once per day.
Understanding the process
The approval process for a marijuana business looking to locate in Harvard requires two major steps beyond acquiring a license from the Massachusetts Cannabis Commission: The business must have a site plan review and special permit approved by the Planning Board, and it must negotiate a host community agreement with the Select Board. According to Planning Board Chair Erin McBee, the Planning Board intends to coordinate with the Select Board by reviewing applicants’ proposals and discussing concerns with the Select Board before making a final decision. Planning Board members also agreed that, in the case of a choice between multiple applicants whose plans met safety standards, the final decision would be left to the Select Board.
