Adult-Use Marijuana Establishments

Cannabis social consumption is coming to Somerville. Below, you will find a schedule of upcoming meetings as well as background on the process and other educational materials. 

Download a flyer about upcoming meetings and discussions in the language of your choice below:

• English
• Español
• Português
• नेपाली
• Kreyòl Ayisyen
• 繁體中文
• 简体中文 

Community Outreach Meeting Schedule 

The city will be hosting virtual meetings for business operators interested in opening a cannabis social consumption establishment in Somerville, and in-person and virtual meetings for the public to learn more and offer feedback about cannabis social consumption license types.

Cannabis social consumption allows adults to legally purchase and consume cannabis products in commercial and licensed spaces, just as alcohol is sold and consumed at bars or events.

Somerville is creating pathways for businesses and individuals to participate in cannabis social consumption – either as an operator or a consumer – in line with rules and guidelines established by the state of Massachusetts’ Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). The CCC is the state agency that makes the rules for legal cannabis sales in Massachusetts, overseeing how it is grown, sold, tested, and used. You can view the CCC’s website at: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/ 

In the coming months, the City of Somerville will be reviewing the CCC’s regulations and seeking public feedback.  

Supplemental License

• This license type is designed for a business that already has an adult-use marijuana retailer license in Somerville to add on-site consumption to their existing license.
• This license type permits consumption of cannabis purchased on the property.  
• On-site consumption must occur within a designated space in the existing facility, such as a lounge.
  • Example: an existing Somerville marijuana retailer operates a lounge in their existing facility.

You can find more information about the supplemental license type at: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/public-documents/regulations/ 

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Hospitality License

There are three situations in which a business can pursue a hospitality license:

1. An existing Somerville adult-use marijuana retailer can open a cannabis social consumption establishment in a new location within the city.
   1. Example: An existing marijuana retailer decides to open a lounge across the street in a new commercial space. 

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2. A non-cannabis business can open a cannabis social consumption establishment at a new or existing location.
   1. Example: A theater decides to add an on-site consumption license to its existing location. 

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3. A business can partner with a non-cannabis business to open a cannabis social consumption establishment at the non-cannabis business’s existing location.
   1. Example: An existing yoga studio partners with a marijuana retailer to offer a consumption space in the basement of their studio. 

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You can find more information about the hospitality license type at: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/public-documents/regulations/ 

Event Organizer License

• This license type is available to existing marijuana establishments or a non-cannabis business that would like to host temporary consumption events.
• This license type permits consumption on-site at an event. It does not permit consumption outside of the event area.
• This license type permits up to 24 licensed days per calendar year.
  • Events cannot last longer than five consecutive days.
• Event organizers must secure all required local permits before seeking approval from the CCC. This process is similar to a one-day alcohol license.
• Examples:
  • An Event Organizer hosts a social consumption event at a wedding.
  • An Event Organizer has a booth and consumption space at a music festival. 

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You can find more information about the event organizer license type at: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/public-documents/regulations/ 

Period of Exclusivity 

Background

The Supplemental, Hospitality, and Event Organizer License Types will only be available to eligible applicants for the first 60 months (5 years) after the first social consumption establishment opens in Massachusetts.  The launch date of the first social consumption establishment has not yet been determined.  

Eligible applicants include Social Equity Businesses, Social Equity Program participants, Economic Empowerment Priority applicants, and Certain Disadvantaged Individuals (more information below).

The period of exclusivity is being coordinated, and applications will be evaluated by the CCC. For more information on any of these programs, you must contact the CCC: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/contact 

Social Equity Program (SEP) 

The “Social Equity Program” is a free, state-run training and support program that helps people get into and succeed in the cannabis industry. The SEP is designed for people from communities most harmed by marijuana prohibition. This is a program for individuals, and participants in the program can expect to receive various forms of technical assistance.  

The SEP is not a licensing program. That means that completion of the program does not guarantee that the participant receives any of the social consumption licenses. 

For more information, contact the CCC: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/contact 

Social Equity Businesses (SEB) 

The CCC designates “Social Equity Businesses” as cannabis companies operating in Massachusetts that are majority-owned (51%) and controlled by people from communities that have historically been harmed the most by marijuana prohibition, or who have been certified as meeting the Commission's criteria for designation as an Economic Empowerment Priority Applicant, or both.

For more information, contact the CCC: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/contact 

Economic Empowerment Priority Applicant (EEPA) 

An “Economic Empowerment Priority Applicant” is a person or business that applied early in the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s review program. These individuals or businesses received this status by meeting at least three of the six criteria established by the CCC. The City of Somerville was not involved in establishing these criteria.

The application window for the EEPA program closed in 2018. 

For more information, contact the CCC: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/contact 

Areas of Disproportionate Impact (ADI)

The “Areas of Disproportionate Impact” are cities and towns in Massachusetts identified by the CCC as having historically high rates of arrest, conviction, and incarceration related to marijuana crime. The CCC identified 30 cities and towns as Areas of Disproportionate Impact. Somerville is not designated as one of these areas. You can find the full list here: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/equity/dia/  

For more information, contact the CCC: https://masscannabiscontrol.com/contact 

Marijuana Establishment Moratorium 

Please be advised that the Mayor entered an Executive Order on November 29, 2023 establishing an 18-month moratorium on new retail marijuana Host Community Agreements in the City of Somerville.  An Executive Order extending the moratorium was issued on May 29, 2025 and is subject to further extension.

Current List of Host Community Agreements

• Recreational Host Community Agreement Recipients

Marijuana Advisory Committee 

Members 

• Matthew Mitchell, Prevention Services Manager, Health and Human Services
• Jeff Digregorio, Somerville Police Lt.
• Sarah Lewis, Director of Planning, Preservation, and Zoning
• Rachel Nadkarni, Director of Economic Development

Marijuana Advisory Committee Recommendations 

• MAC Round One Recommendation (9/18/2019)
• MAC Round Two Recommendation (10/8/2020)
• MAC Round Three Recommendation (3/1/2021) and Mayor Curtatone's Response (3/5/2021)
• MAC Round Four Recommendation (3/31/2021)
• MAC Round Five Recommendation (7/1/2021)
• MAC Recommendation regarding Botanica (7/27/2021)
• MAC Round Six Recommendation (11/5/2021)
• MAC Round Seven Recommendation (7/15/2022)
• MAC Round Eight Recommendation (11/19/2022)
• MAC Round Nine Recommendation (11/19/2022)
• MAC Round Ten Recommendation (2/8/2022)
• MAC Round Eleven Recommendation (10/13/2023)

Guidance Documents

To apply for an Adult-Use Marijuana Retail license, you must apply for and receive a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with the city, obtain a license from the CCC, and finally obtain a license from the Somerville Licensing Commission. Further information can be found below.

• Instructions for Applying for a Host Community Agreement (HCA) and License To Operate an Adult-Use Marijuana Establishment
• Zoning Advice for Prospective Cannabis Establishments
• Next Steps for Host Community Agreement (HCA) Recipients

Documents and Presentations

Approved Documents 

• Zoning Ordinance (adopted December 12, 2019; amended December 9, 2021)
• Ordinance (adopted November 8, 2018; amended June 11, 2020)
  • Ord 2022-22 (ordained on October 25, 2022) extended the priority period from 4 years to 5
• MAC Ranking Criteria (revised March 31, 2021)
• Executive Order – Host Community Agreement Moratorium (entered November 29, 2023)

Presentations and Public Meetings

• City Council Meeting (6/11/2020)
• Legislative Matters Meeting (6/4/2020)
• Legislative Matters Meeting (5/21/2020)
• Legislative Matters Meeting (5/7/2020)
• Licensing Commission and Potential Applicant Presentation (2/11/2019 and 2/13/2019)
• Land Use Committee Meeting Video (11/27/2018) - at start
• Land Use Committee Meeting Video (12/4/2018) - 2 hours and 58 min in
• Background Information
• April 12 and 19 Presentations
• Adult-Use Marijuana Survey
• Land Use Committee Hearing Presentation
• Legislative Matters Committee Presentation
• Land Use Committee Hearing Video (9/6/2018) - 2 hours and 45 min in
• Legislative Matters Committee Video (9/20/2018) - 1 hour and 9 min in
• Legislative Matters  Video (10/02/2018) - 10 min in
• Land Use Committee Meeting Video (10/16/2018) - 2 hours and 30 min in
• Legislative Matters  Video (10/18/2018) - 30 min in
• Land Use Committee Meeting  Video (10/30/2018) - 1 hour and 57 min in
• Legislative Matters  Video (11/1/2018) - at start

Previous Versions Archive

• MAC Ranking Criteria (revised March 28, 2019)
• Ordinance (11/8/2018)
• Approved Zoning Language (12/13/2018)
• Approved Zoning Overlay Map (12/6/2018)
• Proposed Overlay District
• Overlay Amendment (10/30/2018)
• Overlay Amendment (11/27/2018)
• Ward Maps (11/27/2018)
  • Ward 1
  • Ward 2
  • Ward 3
  • Ward 4
  • Ward 5
  • Ward 6
  • Ward 7
• Proposed Ordinance
• SCO License Update (9/18/2018)
• SCO License Update (11/01/2018)
• SCO License Final (11/08/2018)
• Proposed Zoning Ordinance
• Zoning Ordinance Update (10/30/2018)