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| Site Found For Portland Maine Medical Pot Dispensary..?
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Page
Posted: September 28
Updated: Today at 12:10 AM
The marijuana facility will open near Longfellow Square if it gets final
city and state approvals.
By Dennis
Hoey dhoey@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
PORTLAND — Northeast Patients Group has secured a lease that will enable it
to operate a medical
marijuana dispensary in downtown Portland.
Executive Director Becky DeKeuster confirmed Tuesday that her organization
plans to operate a dispensary at 685 Congress St.
The property, near Longfellow Square and adjacent to the Local 188
restaurant, must be renovated and converted into a secure facility – video
cameras and steel doors are just two of the requirements – to comply with
state regulations for dispensaries.
DeKeuster said her nonprofit organization still needs site plan approval from
the city's Planning Board and a certificate of registration from the state.
Patients will be able to come to the dispensary to get
medical
marijuana and have an opportunity to participate in yoga classes, get
massages or even have acupuncture treatments, DeKeuster said.
"We really want to try to build community in each of our
dispensaries," she said. "And part of our mission is to help patients
with their total wellness."
Northeast Patients Group holds four of Maine's eight available dispensary
permits. It opened a dispensary last month in Thomaston, it is opening a
dispensary on Water Street in Hallowell, and it is negotiating a lease for a
fourth dispensary in the Bangor-Brewer area.
DeKeuster said issues with local zoning, searches for suitable locations and
project financing have delayed dispensary openings statewide.
Northeast Patients Group was awarded its licenses in July 2010 and planned to
open its Portland dispensary that fall. But the opening was delayed as the
organization tried to secure a site and experienced financial problems.
John Thiele, coordinator of the Maine Medical Marijuana Program, said he
plans to visit the site in Portland to make sure it is in a secure location
before issuing Northeast a certificate of registration. The certificate would
allow Northeast to grow marijuana for patients.
Thiele said Northeast is growing marijuana in Thomaston. It may also seek
permission to cultivate crops in the Bangor area.
Nicole Clegg, spokeswoman for the city of Portland, said the city had to
amend its zoning to accommodate medical marijuana dispensaries. The location on
Congress Street is in a zone that allows such a use.
The dispensary will be in City Councilor David Marshall's district. Marshall
said he found out about Northeast's plan on Tuesday. His constituents have not
reacted yet.
Marshall said a Rite-Aid pharmacy and several restaurants are in the
neighborhood.
"It will be treated like a liquor license applicant," he said.
"Once we grant the permit, we need to put some trust in the people who are
running the business. I would expect the managers of this property to maintain a
well-run business."
DeKeuster said Northeast is thrilled with the Portland site. It's on a city
bus route and has more than enough space – about 6,500 square feet – to
accommodate patients' needs.
She said she doesn't know when Northeast will apply for a site plan permit
from the Planning Board, but would like to start operating in November.
"We are definitely fast-tracking this," she said. "We know the
patients have been waiting."
Patients will be able to walk into the dispensary on Congress Street and
receive their allocation of medical marijuana – no more than 2.5 ounces every
15 days.
An inventory tracking system will be installed to make sure each patient is
receiving the prescribed dosage.
Patients most likely won't smoke marijuana at the dispensary, though some
training will be allowed, DeKeuster said.
There may be guards on duty while the dispensary is open
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