A multi-million dollar company is eyeing the Tremont Nail Factory District as a potential site to process marijuana. But it will be up to Wareham voters at an upcoming Special Town Meeting if it should be allowed to open or not.

To inform voters, the Wareham Redevelopment Authority will co-sponsor a community workshop and outreach session on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Wareham Town Hall auditorium, located at 54 Marion Road.

Specifically, questions on a zoning change that would pave the way for Colorado-based marijuana manufacturerer and distributor Organa Brands to open in the historic Tremont Nail Factory complex will be addressed. On the Elm Street property, where nails were manufactured since the 1800s up until 2004 before the town purchased the site, there are eight buildings. Some date back 300 years, while the building being considered for the marijuana business is a few decades old.

Officials have said plans call for employing between 40 to 70 people. The business has the potential to bring in $1 million in revenue over a five-year period for the town. That money would be a mix of rent to the town and taxes.

However, there is a problem. The site wasn’t included in a recently passed bylaw restricting marijuana businesses to three areas of town. Also, questions surrounding whether or not the area is properly zoned for light manufacturing remain. Developers plan on processing 12 tons of marijuana per year at the site.

Ahead of the Oct. 4 information session, officials have prepared the following list of questions and answers.

Question: Who is Organa Brands?

Answer: Organa brands is a global leader in cannabis oil extraction, and the manufacturer and distributor of cannabis oil and edible products. They were founded in 2010, and are based in Denver, Colorado.

Why the Tremont Nail Factory property, and what is the ‘steel building’?

The ‘steel building’ is attractive to companies such as Organa Brands, as it offers light manufacturing capabilities with minimal re-investment.

The ‘steel building’ on the Tremont Nail Factory property is a 80 x 180 foot building, that was built in 1976. It is a modern, large, pre-fabricated 1-story metal building with a shallow pitch gable roof. The metal walls and framing are typical of factory component-built modular warehouse and light industrial buildings.

Will there be a retail outlet at the Tremont Nail Factory property?

No. Organa Brands will operate a manufacturing and distribution operation, with no retail or public facing services.

What will Organa Brands be doing at the ‘steel building’?

The basic operation will be to take raw cannabis, process it thru the Organa Labs extraction procedures, extracting cannabis oil. This oil will then be incorporated into oil and edible products, which will be packaged and distributed to retail stores.

Will there be any cannabis smell from the site?

No. Organa Brands will incorporate the necessary equipment to keep any odor or smell from the extraction procedures localized within the building. Also, the agreement between Organa Brands and the Town of Wareham will include performance standards and remediation provisions regarding odor and smell.

What will be the projected traffic flow/impact from this operation?

Minimal. Other than employees, there will be 2 to 3 raw product van deliveries, and 2 to 3 finished product van shipments daily.

Will Organa Brands have a significant visual presence in Wareham?

No. As there is no retail or public facing operations being conducted at the site, there is no advertising or significant signage required.

Would Organa Brands bring significant employment opportunities to Wareham?

Yes. Current projections call for over 50 jobs, at above-market pay scales, with full health, dental, and vision benefits, as well as a 2:1 company matched 401K plan.

Would Wareham receive any revenue if the Organa Brands manufacturing operation becomes reality?

Yes. Revenue to the town will come from several sources, including building rent, property taxes, and excise fees. Conservative projections indicate that the town can expect in excess of $1,000,000 solely due to Organa Brands in the first 5 years.

Would any of this revenue go to rehabilitation of the historic buildings?

Yes. A significant portion of the income, as much as allowed by law, will go directly into rehabilitation of the historic wooden factory buildings.

Does this use fit with the Vision Plan for the Tremont Nail Factory?

Yes. The Vision Plan suggests using the steel building in the short-term and in the long-term replacing it with housing. The option of housing is to raise funds for rehabilitation of the historic buildings.

Will the Tremont Nail Factory property require re-zoning to accommodate light manufacturing operations?

Yes. The Tremont Nail Factory is currently zoned as Wareham Village 1, or WV1, which is the zoning for the Main Street area of downtown Wareham. However, the WV1 zoning district regulations do not allow light manufacturing or cannabis establishments, which would prohibit Organa Brands from using the ‘steel building’ with the current zoning.

Are there other WV1 zoning district restrictions that impact future use of the Tremont Nail Factory property?

Yes. Under the current WV1 zoning, there are several types of businesses that are appropriate for the Tremont Nail Factory property that aren’t allowed. Some of the businesses that would be prohibited include, but are not limited to:

 health and athletic facilities

 conference centers

 hotels

 apartments in a mixed use building

 commercial recreational facilities

 marine connected use

 storage facilities

 accessory food and beverage

 light manufacturing

 cannabis production establishments

All these uses are potential and attractive opportunities for the Tremont Nail Factory property that under current zoning could not be implemented.

Does the town have any plans to address the current zoning restrictions for the Tremont Nail Factory property?

Yes. To address this, the Wareham Redevelopment Authority is proposing the Tremont Nail Factory Redevelopment Overlay District. This proposal will specifically allow for:

 health and athletic facilities

 conference centers

 hotels

 apartments in a mixed use building

 commercial recreational facilities

 marine connected use

 storage facilities

 accessory food and beverage

 light manufacturing

 artist studios

 brewery and/or distillery

 cannabis product manufacturing per CMR 935 500 et seq, but not including cannabis retail sales, dispensary or cultivation

The Tremont Nail Factory Redevelopment Overlay District article is planned to be presented at the Fall Wareham Town Meeting, for public vote and approval.

At the Oct. 4 workshop, the Tremont Nail Factory Redevelopment Overlay District will be presented and discussed.