By JOSHUA SOLOMON Recorder StaffFriday, June 29, 2018
SOUTH DEERFIELD — Not wanting to reveal his hand while repeatedly saying he wanted to be candid with the Selectboard, Joseph Kachuroi, a representative for an Arizona-based marijuana business, insisted his plans are to begin with medical cultivation and possibly later on a dispensary.
Kachuroi of the national Harvest Inc. said he hopes to develop 120,000 square feet at 198 Mill Village Road for cultivation purposes in existing greenhouses. His plan could be rolled out in three phases, 40,000 feet at a time.
The dispensary is not on the agenda in the near future.
While Kachuroi said he is working on these plans with medical marijuana in mind, he is not eliminating the idea of entering into the recreational market. This is a key part of the conversation as Harvest must present a letter of intent to the board and to the police chief.
The letter of intent presented at Deerfield’s Selectboard meeting Wednesday night is aimed at medical, but when asked by the board what about recreational, Kachuroid replied, “If there are some (businesses) who are adult use and they’re my competitor, I have to have a conversation.”
The board quickly informed him that it is very likely, if not definite, his competitors in the area will have a recreational component. In Greenfield, Patriot Care, which is already up and running as a medical facility, plans on selling recreational pot. Other parties in Deerfield and Whately are looking to grow or sell marijuana for the recreational market.
“Understood,” Kachuroi replied. “I’m going to speak candid here. There are some questions between medical and adult use.” He then continued on about how the two products are the same and about how Massachusetts voters approved recreational marijuana.
“We’re happy to work with you, assuming we come to some kind of agreement, but we don’t want to limit you by just OK’ing the medical and not the retail,” Chairman Carolyn Shores Ness said.
“I appreciate that,” Kachuroi said. “I want to be very candid and open. I think to have an open dialogue is best for both.”
“That’s fine,” Ness said. “You’ll just let us know if you change your mind from medical to both,” Ness said.
“It’s not that I’m changing my mind,” Kachuroi said. “It’s just you have to go through a series of process. Right now the state wants you to go through medical first and then recreational, when the time is right.”
Kachuroi can’t get anything formally off the ground until he has paperwork signed off at the local level to present to the state. He still needs to hold a community outreach meeting and to work with the police chief and school resource officer on developing their education portion to the schools. Ness pointed out the schools will not be back in session until the fall.
Kachuroi expressed a willingness to work with what the board suggested in terms of what he needs to do for a sufficient outreach and educational programming.
He also said his plans are to have high security at the premises, including night cameras, which are typically mandatory for this type of business, but also bright parking lot lights.
In April, some residents heard Harvest’s pitch when the company held a medical marijuana seminar at the Polish Club before a full house, though that was not the community outreach meeting.
Kachuroi hopes to get on the agenda for a Planning Board meeting in the near future, but was unable to get on for July 2, when the public hearing on the controversial Dollar General plan is scheduled.
$3 million listing
Kachuroi’s site, which he owns, is currently listed on LoopNet, a popular online real estate marketplace, valuing the property for sale at $3 million, from a February 2018 listing. It is being marketed as a cultivation facility with 114,000 square feet of rentable area.
The listing states: “Greenhouse that will contain indoor cultivation. It is located in a high demand market strategically located off I-91 in central MA that will provide product distribution to both eastern and western MA. Annual sales revenue in operating dispensaries in the Group exceeds $5.1 million and cultivation.”
The listing further states, “If you are interested in equity ownership or investment in MMJ Real Estate Properties operated by Harvest contact Joe Kachuroi — saavyinvestor1@gmail.com.”