The Damariscotta Planning Board approved a conditional use permit application for a new adult-use cannabis store during its meeting on Monday, Jan. 5.
Kender Farms LLC, owned by Jacob Daku and Charles Crandall, is proposed for 434 Main St. next to Dunkin’.
If approved, Kender Farms would be the town’s fourth cannabis store, joining adult-use cannabis store Cannabis Cured, and medical use stores Above and Beyond Cannabis LLC and Greenport Cannabis Co.
According to the Damariscotta’s adult-use and medical marijuana licensing ordinances, a maximum of two adult-use cannabis retail store and two medical cannabis retail stores are allowed in town.
Planning board member Neil Genthner raised concerns over parking at the location, asking whether the shared lot could adequately serve Kender Farms, Dunkin’, and The Penalty Box, the neighboring restaurant at 436 Main St.
“Our issue is now we have to take into consideration three businesses there and how many parking spaces are on the footprint versus how many are supposed to be for the businesses we have,” Genthner said.
Daku, who was in attendance, said he hopes that having mobile orders available for customers will speed get people in and out of the parking lot in an efficient manner.
“It’s easy to order ahead of time and make it faster,” Daku said. “We will get in the habit of having good directions for customers to park out back.”
Zack Brandwein, the attorney representing Daku at the meeting, provided information from the Institute of Transportation Engineers, an international organization that provides education and scientific data on transportation.
Brandwein said the data shows that for an adult-use cannabis retail store of Kender Farm’s proposed size, an expected daily volume of traffic will contain about 100 to 120 trips, with no more than about 20 trips during the peak hour.
“We expect that to be less than the current use and definitely less than a convenience store or gas station,” Brandwein said.
After discussion, the planning board identified approximately 18 shared parking spaces serving the building and noted the town’s land use ordinance requires only about four to five spaces for a retail use of roughly 1,100 square feet, which is the size of storefront Kender Farms has requested to inhabit. The board ultimately determined that parking for the adult-use cannabis store would be adequate.
According to Town Planner Michael Martone, Maine requires cannabis stores to have at least a 1,000-foot separation from schools or day cares. He said the proposed store will be far enough away from the nearby day care and preschool facility, Coastal Kids Preschool, and the nearby elementary school, Great Salt Bay Community School.
The board found the application was complete with the condition that any outdoor storage associated with the adult use cannabis retail store must be kept neat and orderly and must be screened from view of residential district lots by a fence, wall, or plantings, and that the owners will maintain a valid license with the state.
According to Martone, the next step is for the Damariscotta Select Board hold a public hearing and vote on Kender Farm’s retail marijuana license application.
The next planning board meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 2 at the town office. For more information, call 563-5168 or go to dammariscotta.maine.gov.
