Norwich ― Members of the city planning commission want a closer look at the property at 105 Stonington Road-Route 2 at the Preston line before voting on a proposed 6-acre outdoor cannabis cultivation facility.
The Commission on the City Plan on Tuesday voted to continue the public hearing on the plan to its Aug. 20 meeting and to hold a site walk of the property at noon Thursday, July 25. The site walk is open to the public, but no public comment or discussion on the project will be allowed during the walk, Director of Planning and Neighborhood Services Deanna Rhodes said.
Nautilus Botanicals LLC, a partnership between Shelton-based hemp farmer Luis Vega and New York-based cannabis investor Merida Capital Holding, plans to operate an outdoor cannabis growing facility, initially with 1,500 to 2,000 plants grown in pots in a 15,000-square-foot area.
An indoor processing and manufacturing operation initially would be done in a 2,100-square-foot temporary construction trailer that would be replaced by 9,600-square-foot permanent steel building in the second phase of development.
The first phase also includes a driveway access road from Route 2 and the state-required 12-foot-high opaque security fence surrounding the operation. Security staff would control access that would be limited to employees, state regulators and licensed delivery and pick-up vehicles. The facility would sell only wholesale products to the state’s cannabis retail dispensaries.
In addition to the permanent building for manufacturing and employee locker rooms, the second phase would create a shipping/receiving area, an information technology closet and additional office and storage space. The parking area would expand to 24 spaces, including two handicapped spaces.
Phase three would be an expansion based on market demand, according to the application. The third phase three calls for a 4,400-square-foot and a 10,000-square-foot greenhouse. If the greenhouses are built, the facility would scale back its outdoor growing operation.
The facility would have three to six employees in phase one, expanding to 10 to 15 in the second phase, project officials said.
Following the presentation by project engineer Jack McCartney of CLA Engineers and Merida Director of Diversity and Community Relations Connie DeBoever, discussion during Tuesday’s public hearing centered on concerns expressed by the Preston Planning and Zoning Commission and Preston farmer and Selectman Jerry Grabarek.
Grabarek said his dairy farm is two properties away from the proposed cannabis cultivation site. Grabarek said the applicant did not address voiced concerns about potential pesticide use, potential water runoff from the operation, odor and the plan to use an onsite septic system rather than tie into the Norwich city sewer system.
McCartney said the operation would use only organic fertilizer, with an automatic, timed mixed water and fertilizer application. Since the marijuana would be grown in planter pots, with a weed shield ground cover, there would be no runoff. He said Uncas Health District has approved the septic system.
Will it smell?
Grabarek said he is not opposed to the application but asked several questions. He said the group did not address his concerns about pesticides.
“He failed to address the pesticide plan that Preston asked for,” Grabarek said. “The applicant kind of just ignored it. Because I know that if they’re growing marijuana and they get a bug infestation, they’re going to use pesticides. There’s no way. Are they going to let them eat the leaves?”
Grabarek was skeptical about an odor control plan. DeBoever said odor would not be a concern, as it would dissipate on the property within a short distance of the plants. She said the facility also could seek low-odor plants that have brief flowering periods.
And if necessary, the facility would plant native species with strong odors, such as peppermint, rosemary, lavender, basil and surrounding the growing facility.
“Those plants bloom at certain times of the year,” Grabarek said. “The rest of the time, they’re not going to have any odor control, unless they’re going to stagger the plantings, and that’s not in the plan. I’m concerned about the neighbors, right there. There are Preston neighbors and there are more Norwich neighbors.”
c.bessette@theday.com
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