Group that took over Fine Fettle license now forced to find new location with challenging dispensary zoning restrictions
As you may recall, since it was among the biggest stories of 2024 despite the subject being a small island off the coast, last spring the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission swooped in to prevent, as Commissioner Kimberly Roy said at the time, a situation where there would have been “234 medical patients with no access to medical cannabis on the island.” Here’s more from our reporting on that scenario from last June:
Up until last week, state and federal laws got in the way of any solutions involving the mainland. The quagmire even led to one of the Vineyard operators suing the Cannabis Control Commission.
But following a hearing earlier this month at the Oak Bluffs Public Library, and a subsequent unanimous vote at last week’s CCC meeting, the agency issued an administrative order “authorizing transport of marijuana and marijuana products over state territorial waters to and from adult-use Marijuana Establishments and Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers on the islands.”
The order, which took effect at 12am on Friday, June 14, “comes in response to ongoing federal marijuana prohibition which prevents the transport of marijuana and marijuana products to and from mainland Massachusetts licensees to island licensees,” according to a CCC media release. It further explained, “In recent weeks, stakeholders who reside or work in Dukes County and Nantucket have highlighted the growing risk to patient and adult access posed by a lack of product availability from island licensees.”
But not all is settled on the island weed front. As the MV Times reported last week, Black Harbor Group, which took over the Fine Fettle license, “is searching for a new location after its initial store-front location was leased to a competitor.”
A marijuana company with a state license in hand is looking for a storefront on Martha’s Vineyard after its competitor signed a lease on its planned location. But it is also facing challenges because of the Island’s limiting zoning for the industry.
Black Harbor Group, which purchased the business and growing operation from Fine Fettle last year, was hoping to open its own dispensary at 510 State Road in West Tisbury. However, the owner of Island Time, the only dispensary on the Vineyard, signed the lease on that property instead.
While Black Harbor Group has already completed its state and local permitting for a growing facility in West Tisbury, it has been looking across the Island for a location to sell its product.
The Vineyard Gazette also covered the story …
Black Harbor Group representative Cornell Mills acknowledged the obstacle of not having the West Tisbury location as an option for a retail facility anymore in an interview with the Gazette this week.
“I’m trying to avoid having any finger pointing or bad blood considering we’re coming into this space,” he said. “I’d rather not elaborate on dealing with this particular landlord and lease.”
This story is developing …
