Local Roots New England Inc. is seeking to open an adult use marijuana dispensary on Rte. 20

MARLBOROUGH – Another marijuana dispensary could be coming to the city.

Local Roots New England Inc. is seeking a special permit to open an adult use marijuana dispensary at 910 Boston Post Road East (Rte 20). The City Council on Monday is expected to discuss the matter and will likely refer the special permit request to the Urban Affairs Committee, which will then review and provide a recommendation to the full council.

The proposed 1,885-square-foot dispensary will feature 885 square feet of retail space, with the remainder of the facility being used for security, an employee break room, bathrooms, a vault and a management office. There will be 25 dedicated parking spaces, with additional parking available, according to a letter from Richard Olstein, of Local Roots, to the City Council.

In his letter, Olstein called the Rte. 20 site a perfect location for the dispensary. The property is within the city’s recreational and medical marijuana regulated zone, which on Rte. 20 extends from the Sudbury line to Phelps Street on the city’s east side and from the Northborough line to Interstate 495 on the west side.

“We believe that our property at 910 Boston Post Road, East is an ideal location for this use,” Olstein wrote. “We have ample parking on site and open view corridors, which will allow for optimal security procedures. Abutting properties are predominantly commercial in nature so impacts on residents will be negligible. We also enjoy a dedicated traffic signal allowing control of all of vehicle movements while providing easy access both east and west on Route 20.”

Local Roots, which also operates dispensaries in Fitchburg and Sturbridge, will install a state-of-the-art security system at the facility and will ensure the interior of the sales floor and products will not be visible from outside, per Cannabis Control Commission regulations.

Dean Iandoli and Catherine Trifilo started the company in 2016 after learning the benefits of medical marijuana in treating their 15-year-old son for symptoms he suffered with Tourette’s syndrome. The pair partnered with Michael Staiti and Olstein in 2018 to bring business, construction and financial expertise to the team.

The company stressed a desire to be a good neighbor to the Marlborough community.

“One of our primary goals is to be a positive influence in the community,” Olstein wrote. “We will strive to hire locally, both with dispensary personnel and local contractors. We intend to further our involvement in the community through volunteerism, promoting community programs (such as coat drives and canned good drives), and contributions to local charities and causes.”

The city is already home to one dispensary and another is moving forward in its efforts to obtain a special permit. Garden Remedies opened a medical and adult use dispensary last year in the Marlboro Square Plaza on Rte. 20 on the city’s east side.

Vedi Naturals is seeking a special permit to open an adult use dispensary at the Twin Boro Crossing Plaza on Marlborough’s west side. The Urban Affairs Committee recently signed off on the special permit request. The City Council is expected to vote on the special permit in the coming weeks.

Jeff Malachowski can be reached at 508-490-7466 or jmalachowski@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @JmalachowskiMW.