The East Berkeley Neighborhood Association (EBNA) has voted to write a neutral letter regarding the Liberty Compassionates medical marijuana store proposal for Albany Street – just beyond their boundaries.
President Ken Smith said the Jan. 15 meeting of the Association was pretty much consumed with discussion about Liberty, which had presented to the group at the December meeting.
Smith said the proposal is just outside their boundaries, officially in the Blackstone Franklin Neighborhood Association, but many had opinions and concerns.
None were strong enough though to officially oppose the store.
“We are going to write a letter, but it’s not going to be a letter of opposition or a letter of support,” he said. “It will mostly be a neutral-type letter with our concerns outlined.”
Smith said they would defer to Blackstone when it comes to taking a position down the road, letting them decide on the matter which is in their neighborhood boundary.
Some of the concerns at EBNA were traffic and congestion, with many worrying that traffic on Albany Street is already very congested.
There was also some worry about the few metered spaces in the area, and whether parking could also become an issue.
Another issue was changing from a medical to recreational marijuana shop.
“They affirmed that if they were to switch, they would have to come back for a new license,” Smith said.
•In other news, the EBNA Board has brought on three new members this year – two from the New York Streets area and one from the Harrison Avenue area.