FRAMINGHAM (CBS) – From an empty pizza shop to the next retail marijuana shop in Framingham. Behind it, sits Holly Rejouis’ home.
Rejouis describes her feelings when she found out about the proposed marijuana shop on Route 9. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “That’s right next to me like from you to me.”
For Rejouis, it’s not just a house, it’s a place of business. Since the 80’s she’s run a state certified day care.
“A lot of kids I’ve raised some are like second generation here,” she said.
The proposed dispensary is waiting on final approval. But if it’s approved, Rejouis says she’s concerned for her business.
“I’ve dedicated my whole life to the kids. I want to make sure I still have the kids and that they want to come here,” she said.
Framingham officials tell WBZ-TV that marijuana retail stores can’t be located within 500 feet of a public or private school providing education from kindergarten through grade 12. But Rejouis’ business is only licensed for infants, toddlers, and pre-school age groups. Allowing the company Nova Farm to propose the site.
Blair Fish is the C.O.O. of Nova Farm. He says the dispensary is extremely safe and says it’s the unknown that scares people.
Fish asked, “What if it was a liquor store or what if it was an ice cream shop? There’s still going to be people that come and go here. For some reason, people like to demonize the marijuana industry because they don’t know a lot about it.”
Rejouis says she didn’t know of any public meetings until April and she couldn’t attend because she was out of town. Fish says several letters were sent to her house and her neighbors.
“She admitted she knew of the meetings and she just didn’t attend,” Fish said. “And that was really her time.”
Rejouis did go to a meeting in late June, but felt her concerns went on deaf ears.
“The way I felt after that meeting with them but it was kind of like this is us let’s get together when you live in commercial, this is where you are, this is what can happen deal with it,” she said.
Now, she and Fish have been trying to come to a compromise. Nova Farm agreed to build an 8-foot fence around her home.
Fish says he’d like to have the store open by October.