Proponents of an adult-use cannabis dispensary in Fields Corner took up their cause for opening in a now-vacant Dorchester Avenue storefront during the Jan. 7 meeting of the Fields Corner Civic Association (FCCA).

Drudys Ledbetter and Leslie Pascual, who plan to operate the Zeb Boutique shop at 1524-1530 Dorchester Ave., presented renderings of their proposed business, which would occupy space that formerly housed a Radio Shack store and, many years before, a movie theatre at the corner of Park Street.

Ledbetter and Pascual are Boston natives with roots in Dorchester and Mattapan who initially sought to open their cannabis dispensary in Mattapan, but last year entered into negotiations to lease the vacant Fields Corner space instead.

Their proposal, which will need approvals from the Boston Cannabis Board and the city’s Zoning Board of Appeal, has supporters and detractors. The executive director of the Fields Corner Main Streets organization, Jackey West Devine, spoke in favor of the dispensary, noting that there are no other dispensaries in the business district and none within the half-mile buffer zone. She said Ledbetter and Pascual were the kind of operators that would be friends to the community.

“I understand this is something proposed that some people don’t want,” said West Devine. “But I would urge everyone to consider who you would want to put in that position as opposed to whether you want that position to exist at all. …I think Drudys and Leslie show entrepreneurial character and they are really committed to this.”

Opposition to the store is being generated in part by members of Park Street’s Luc Hoa Buddhist Temple.

Phuong Nguyen, secretary for the temple, said they already have existing problems at their public space along Park Street.
“I have seen people coming into that space and start smoking weed in a place that is for peace,” she said. “I ask them to leave, and they give me a hard time. Sometimes the police have to come and help me remove these people…A lot of times the older people coming to the temple see these people and they just turn around and go home. They won’t come in and that shouldn’t happen.”

Khang Nguyen, vice-president of the Vietnamese American Community of Massachusetts, submitted a letter to FCCA opposing the cannabis use and spoke briefly.

“The Vietnamese community, they don’t want that in that location,” he said. “It’s not a good location next to the library and park. People buy things and then go to the park to consume, and the kids are there. Please don’t do this.”

Ledbetter answered that fears about people buying products and using them outside the store aren’t well-founded. Dispensaries, she noted, are heavily regulated and require security staff on premises and cameras on the perimeter. They are audited for security and heavily regulated for any problems such as loitering, unlike a liquor store.

“I will respectfully say people going to dispensaries in Boston, these dispensaries are not conducive to all audiences,” she said. “You might be able to go to a liquor store and buy a ‘nip’ for $3, but there is nothing for $3 in a dispensary…There are three dispensaries in Boston directly across from libraries and community centers with zero evidence of diversions…It sounds like there is an existing loitering problem we could support in resolving.”

At the end of the meeting, Ledbetter added: “This is the first of many conversations. A good community partner continues to have conversations especially when it’s a high-profile business like cannabis. I think the conversation needs to continue…A lot of cannabis businesses aren’t local, but we are one that is, so we are committed to continuing to have conversations with the community.”

FCCA Treasurer Hiep Chu noted that he has general concerns about the current state of Fields Corner – the loitering, vandalism, and theft.

“It’s just a lot of incidents and we have seen an increase in Fields Corner at the T and by the school; people sleep where they can,” he said. “It doesn’t mean I’m opposed to the business, but more conversation needs to be had.”

Alan Issokson, the landlord of the proposed dispensary site, said existing problems could be dealt with alongside the dispensary.
“A lot of what we’re hearing is about existing conditions in the neighborhood that have nothing to do with this business,” he said. “The evidence is that these issues go down because of the heightened level of scrutiny and security.”

Ledbetter and Pascual, in their previous endeavors on Blue Hill Avenue and in Mattapan Square, said they were successful in negotiating with faith leaders who have concerns about cannabis. They said they were committed to doing that in Fields Corner as well.

FCCA leaders noted that there has been an influx of members since the proposal was brought forward, with most of the new members coming from the temple, and said that could affect any future votes on the matter.