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Hopedale - Local Town Pages

Green River Cannabis Asks Select Board for Site Change Suggests Charlesview location next to Caroline’s Cannabis

By Theresa Knapp 

In June, Green River Cannabis Company, Inc. asked the Hopedale Select Board if the town would consider changing the site listed on its Host Community Agreement for its adult cannabis retail store proposed at 54 Mellen Street (Unit A) to 6 or 8 Charlesview Road. 

The company filed a lawsuit against the town after the Zoning Board of Appeals denied its application for a Special Permit in December 2020. 

“We would be willing to withdraw the case we have in Land Court if we could transfer the agreement over to Charlesview,” said applicant, company part-owner, and Attleboro lawyer Constant Poholek, Jr. 

There is a case management conference scheduled in the case for June 22. 

Selectmen noted their board does not have the power to overturn the ZBA and encouraged Poholek to ask the ZBA for a public hearing, especially if he has new information or a revised business plan. 

Regarding the Charlesview location, Select Board Chair Brian Keyes noted there is another proposed retail cannabis store (Caroline’s Cannabis) right next door at 4 Charlesview Road. “I have concerns of having two on a very short street...It looks like putting a McDonald’s next to a McDonald’s over there and I have some concerns about that.” 


Background 

In December, the Select Board granted a one-year extension of the current Host Community Agreement giving them additional time to either (1) make the business operational at the Mellon Street address or (2) have a different location approved by the ZBA and amend the address in host community agreement.

After the ZBA denial in December, Poholek told Hopedale Town News he was ”confused and surprised” by the ZBA decision. At the time, Poholek told selectmen the company was considering an appeal on the Mellen Street application while, at the same time, researching an alternate site at 54 Hopedale Street, behind the Bancroft Memorial Library. Seeking an alternative site while proceeding with an appeal is not unusual since the Commonwealth’s Cannabis Control Commission requires a valid Host Community Agreement be in effect while an applicant seeks a license.