The building at 68 Dalton Ave. has been vacant for years and was slated to be demolished.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The former Royal Cleaners is now eyed to be repurposed for a marijuana retail, cultivation, and manufacturing company.
The Zoning Board of Appeals granted a special permit for EOS Farm LLC to operate there. The plan is to use the majority of the building for cultivation and manufacturing of marijuana products and then use 600 square feet of frontage for retail.
"There are plantings along the front and the side to hide the residential property," said architect John Barry.
The company will be leasing from Raymond Frenkel, who also own and lease the adjacent residential properties. Engineer Brent White said an evergreen screen will be installed on the property boundary to separate the two uses.
White added that the curb cut on Dalton Avenue will be removed and Harvard Street will be where the customers enter. The store hopes to be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.
"I think it is a good use of a structure that has been sitting there for a couple of years," said ZBA member John Fitzgerald.
The board and a neighbor raised questions about odors and conditioned the permit so that if the odor becomes an issue, the company will have to come back before the board with a solution.
The building had been most recently eyed to be demolished and Dunkin' Donuts planned to build a new restaurant there. The ZBA had granted that permit in 2017 but the plans never moved forward -- ending a political saga between city officials and the company.
The Zoning Board has had steady interest in cannibis companies looking to open up shop since Massachusetts voters approved recreational sales. About 10 or so retailers have been approved, a half dozen or so cultivators have been approved, and two manufacturers have been approved on the local level.
However, despite the interest, only one entity is currently selling recreationally. Temescal Wellness on West Housatonic Street is the only recreational dispensary in Pittsfield right now and Berkshire Roots is expected to become the second soon, as it received its final permit from the state last month.
A number of other entities have shown interest but haven't moved forward with applications. A proposal for the former Countywide Rental building on Dalton Avenue was intended to become a dispensary but on Wednesday the ZBA accepted Pittsfield Investment Group's withdrawal.
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Dalton Select Board Recommends Voting Against Article 1
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — After a heated discussion concerning sidewalk repair options during last week's Select Board meeting, the board voted to not support Article 1 on the annual town meeting warrant.
The article proposes amending the town's bylaws to mandate the use of concrete for all future sidewalks.
The decision narrowly passed 3-2, with board members Dan Esko, Robert Bishop and John Boyle voting not to recommend the article and Joseph Diver and Marc Strout for a recommendation.
Board members in favor of not recommending the article cited reasons such as not wanting to limit the town's options when addressing sidewalks in disrepair, which has been a hot topic recently due to the number of sidewalks within the town that need to be addressed.
Although Diver made the motion not to recommend the citizen's petition, he later changed his mind and voted against his motion, agreeing with Strout that the decision should lay in the hands of the residents.
"I personally believe that it should be put in the hands of the residents and not for the five of us to make that decision and that's why I actually think this is a good petition to put up there. Let the residents make that decision," Strout said.
The changing of the town bylaw is not the only article concerning sidewalks voters will vote on during the May 6 town meeting.
Downtown Pittsfield Inc. proposed angled parking on North Street and was pleasantly surprised that the city responded with an in-depth study and new plans — even if they don't include angled parking.
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Officials celebrated Arbor Day on Friday by installing a commemorative plaque next to the American elm sapling. This is a tree that James McGrath, the city's park program manager, said Presutti would have been particularly proud of.
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Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.
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