Ericca and Justin Kennedy of Doobie appeared before the Zoning Board of Appeals on May 25 with a request to extend their company’s delivery hours from 9 p.m. to midnight. 

Per state law, cannabis delivery companies are allowed to deliver until 9 p.m. unless the company gets town approval for longer hours.

Ericca Kennedy said that the company has been getting lots of requests for delivery into the Boston area. Because of the distance drivers have to travel, they’ve been booked to capacity for the night by early to mid-afternoon, she said. She also noted that the company has seen customers trying to place orders after 9 p.m.

Extending the company’s hours will allow the company to scale up to serve more customers, Kennedy said.
Some board members expressed trepidation, saying that midnight “felt late” to them. 

Kennedy emphasized that deliveries are discreet: Drivers call or text customers before they arrive so they can meet them at the door.

Board clerk Jim Eacobacci said while he felt a change in hours was minor, the fact that the state requires towns to make that change made it feel more like a major modification. Major modifications to special permits like the one Doobie has require a public hearing process.

Board member Veronica Debonise noted that it was odd that the determination about delivery hours is up to the town, given that such companies can deliver across the Commonwealth.

“I’m a little leary of giving the extension, but at the same time, I think they wouldn’t be coming to us if there wasn’t a reason for it,” said board member Troy Larson. “They’re saying they’re losing business, and they can take advantage of it.”

The board voted that extending the hours would be a major change. Doobie will return before the board for a public hearing.