MARION — Faced with concerns from the Board of Selectmen on a proposed location for a recreational marijuana facility, its developers presented the Planning Board with two options: changing the spot’s zoning or leasing a town building at Atlantis Drive for the facility. 

Ericca Kennedy appeared before the Planning Board on Jan. 21 as a representative of Light House, an upscale cannabis boutique with two locations in California. Kennedy explained that she was not looking to have the bylaw changed, but instead wanted to change the zoning at 413 Wareham Road to comply with the town bylaw.

That address would place the facility at the intersection of Route 6 and Spring Street. Kennedy explained that organizers would restrict access to Route 6, and use on-site and valet parking for 35 to 55 spots. 

If that doesn’t work, the company is looking to lease the town property at 13 Atlantis Drive, which is already in the limited industrial zone and would not need to be rezoned. In addition to the lease, the boutique would provide a community payment of $170,674 for 60 months.

Planning Board Chair Will Saltonstall said the overlay change would have to be approved by Town Meeting. 

Another board member, Norm Hills, said there were “significant problems in what they’re proposing to do.” He noted the space only has 16 spots today.

Board member Eileen Marum explained that there are a lot of other businesses in that area, and said traffic would be problematic.

However, Planning Board member Andrew Daniel could see some benefit to the funds Light House offers.

“That’s $10.5 million in 5 years that the town could use to fix all the things we can’t afford without putting it on the taxpayers,” Daniel said. He added that he had a lot of concerns about the location, but would support a zoning change away from schools, daycares, and other community facilities.

Saltonstall chimed in to say that he thought it was important to honor the intent of the bylaw.

“I’m not against this use, but don’t like the location,” he said, adding that, “this is a very challenging lot, no matter what goes here.”

Selectman John Waterman attended the meeting to hear about the proposal. He said that Selectmen had seemed critical of the plan in a letter because they heard from an expert that it would leave traffic backed up to 195, and be major change in the traffic makeup of the area. 

Though Kennedy expressed her desire to “continue working with the town and make it work in Marion,” Saltonstall was frank with her that the odds of the overlay she sought being passed in Marion “might be challenging.”