Proposed pot shop gets Quincy board's approval. Neighbors object. Here's what we know

QUINCY ? A recreational marijuana store has received zoning board approval to open at the site of a former Burger King and Braintree Cooperative Bank near the shipyard.

The Quincy Zoning Board of Appeals granted a special permit to Chill and Bliss on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Co-founder Brian Wall said he plans to open the shop at 503 Quincy Ave. at Route 53 and West Howard Street, near the Braintree line.

It would be the city's second recreational shop after Quincy Cannabis Co. opened about a mile away in March at the Route 3A rotary.

Before opening, Chill and Bliss will need a license from the state Cannabis Control Commission, building permits and inspections from the city.

Proposed dispensary would restore neglected property, applicant says

"It's a dilapidated building," Wall said of the property. "It's a building that needs some love."

Wall has experience in the cannabis industry. He is the founder of Flower and Soul, a recreational cannabis store that opened in a converted abandoned warehouse on Plymouth Street in Halifax in June 2022.

In addition to restoring the Quincy building and grounds, Wall said he will work with the city on security and educational programs, as he has in Halifax.

"We've done a lot for the town (of Halifax)," he said, including sponsoring an annual fireworks display and a program through which employees devote 40 work hours to local community service projects each year. Wall said he'd replicate that program in Quincy.

Cannabis in Quincy: Could Quincy support 5 pot shops? Pharmacist applies for permit

Action!: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck shoot scenes in Quincy

Wall said the spot makes sense because of the high traffic volume and its proximity to Weymouth and Braintree, which ban recreational cannabis stores.

He said that, wherever possible, Chill and Bliss would draw from the local labor pool for construction and day-to-day operations.

"We would expect between 15 and 20 employees," he said.

Engineer Karlis Sculte, of Civil and Environmental Consultants, said the store's impact on traffic would be minimal. He said there would be a right-turn-only restriction for vehicles entering and exiting Quincy Avenue.

Board members asked Sculte to consider a raised berm or some other physical barrier to enforce this restriction.

'Let's help the children.' Neighbors object to Quincy dispensary

Pat Croall, who lives directly across from the property on Bower Road, said the store would expose neighborhood schoolchildren to harmful influences.

"Let's not keep the children of Quincy on the sidelines," Croall said. "They're going to see (the store) every day. There are approximately 25 students getting on and off the bus every day. Let's help the children grow without a view of a pot shop."

Ward 2 Councilor-elect Richard Ash noted the presence of the 72-unit South Landing Condominiums across the street, where he said many school-aged children live.

"The kids ride their bikes around that neighborhood," Ash said. "There are a number of studies that show a correlation between location and usage in children going through the school system."

New bakery: Paris Baguette opens at The Abby in North Quincy

Property taxes going up: Quincy homeowners' tax bills will be increasing. Here's why

Ash criticized the city's cannabis zoning regulations, which forbid dispensaries within 500 feet of playgrounds, youth fields, schools, day cares and other family-friendly amenities.

"(The ordinance says that) if you're not near a school, a park, a playground or anything nice, then we're going to put a marijuana retailer next to you," Ash said.

Three other proposed recreational marijuana dispensaries in Quincy are at various points in state and local permitting processes.

A letter of opposition from Quincy resident Maureen King said all of Quincy's marijuana stores, both existing and proposed, are concentrated in wards 2 and Ward 4.

"It's totally unfair to the residents of those wards," she wrote.

At an Oct. 2 council meeting, Ward 2 Councilor Anthony Andronico and Ward 4 Councilor Jim Devine asked that the city's planning and inspectional services departments recommend changes to zoning laws to create a more equitable distribution of cannabis stores in Quincy.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: New Quincy marijuana dispensary could come to former Burger King