Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | June 13, 2022 | Worcester Business Journal 13 is slightly lower now that one of the proposed shops has fallen through. "As more cities and towns allow can- nabis businesses to operate, the market in our state will continue to mature and there will be new pressure on business- es to compete with better quality and lower prices," Title said. W B U S I N E S S O F C A N N A B I S F O C U S Acton Moratorium Ban Ashland Ban Ban Athol Moratorium Zoning Auburn Ban Ban Barre Ban Retail ban Bellingham Ban Ban Berlin Moratorium Zoning Clinton Moratorium Zoning, license cap Douglas Moratorium Zoning, license cap Dudley Moratorium Zoning, license cap East Brookfield Moratorium Zoning, license cap Grafton Moratorium Zoning Groton Moratorium Zoning, retail license cap Holden Ban Ban Holliston Ban Zoning, retail ban Hopkinton Ban Ban Lancaster Ban Ban Littleton Moratorium Zoning Lunenburg Moratorium Zoning Marlborough Moratorium Zoning Medway Ban Zoning, retail ban Mendon Moratorium Zoning, retail license cap Milford Ban Ban Millbury Moratorium Zoning Millis Moratorium Zoning, license cap Natick Moratorium Zoning New Braintree Moratorium Zoning Northborough Ban Ban Northbridge Moratorium Zoning Oxford Moratorium Zoning, retail license cap Rutland Moratorium Zoning Shrewsbury Moratorium Zoning, retail license cap Southborough Ban Ban Southbridge Ban Zoning Spencer Moratorium Ban Sterling Ban Ban Stow Moratorium Ban Sturbridge Moratorium Zoning Sutton Ban Zoning, retail ban Townsend Moratorium Zoning, retail license cap Upton Moratorium Zoning, retail ban Wayland Moratorium Ban Webster Moratorium Zoning, retail ban West Boylston Ban Zoning, retail license cap Westborough Ban Ban Westminster Moratorium Zoning, retail license cap Relaxing cannabis restrictions Of the 46 Central Massachusetts communities who in 2018 had bans or moratoriums on cannabis businesses, 31 have lifted at least some restrictions. Community 2018 2022 economic impact on the town. "I'm not a user, and I voted no twice; but when it came to a business aspect and how it benefits [the town], I think that open mind helped a little bit," said Adams, adding that Patton's presence in the early days helped change his mind. Patton "showed up to every meeting we had. He was the face of the cannabis boom into the town." Patton's business model is largely built on his family's legacy, starting with his grandfa- ther, World War II General George Patton. Green Mead- ows is focused on rehabilita- tion for veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, as well as hiring vets. Additionally, organic horticulture is a top priority in Green Meadows' cultivation branch, as Bob's father, who was a major general, established a farm in Hamilton in the 1980s. Bob was drawn from the North Shore to Central Massachusetts, in part, by a vacant but expansive mill building which caught his eye on the real estate market. Southbridge, like so many New England towns and cities, was once a bustling manufacturing hub, anchored by the American Optical Co., which employed more than 4,000 residents in its heyday. When the company moved production to Mexico in 1992, the town began to experience an economic downturn which it continues to grap- ple with today. "ere was certainly a quest in the town for bringing in business," Patton said. "We were just one little compo- nent, but I think we were excited to be a part of that new rebirth that we felt was happening in Southbridge." Economic rebirth Green Meadows employs nearly 80 people between its retail and cultivation facilities, 34% of whom live in town, said Patton. e facility, opened in 2021, spans 35,000 square feet in a restored 19th century mill building, which had been blighted for years. e renovation and investment was a welcomed change to both the property and neighborhood, which Adams de- scribed as dead before Green Meadows entered the scene. "ey put in million dollars and re-energized this entire area," Adams said. "What I didn't understand was how banning something like that protected the town. Sturbridge and Charlton all started receiving economic advantages, but Southbridge was missing the boat." Of Southbridge's four bordering towns in Massachusetts, three had moratoriums in 2018, but all have even- tually been zoned to allow some type of marijuana production or retail. "I do think more towns will continue to li bans going forward," said Title. "e idea was that they would wait and see. What they're seeing is their resi- dents going to the next city over to make cannabis purchases and that other city gets the 3% tax plus fees." Since Green Meadows opened, two more dispensaries have come to South- bridge, one already open and the second slated to open this year. Municipalities can place a tax of up to 3% on cannabis sales, offering substantial revenue for a municipality. Adams said between four initially proposed and existing dispensaries, Southbridge is estimating an eventual $1 million in annual revenue from its cannabis industry, although that figure Given his family's history, Patton and Green Meadows have sought to rehabilitate military veterans suffering from PTSD and anxiety. Sources: Cannabis Control Commission & a WBUR story from 2018 Shaleen Title, former Cannabis Control commissioner

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