Dartmouth is one step closer to getting its first marijuana cultivator as the Select Board officially signed a host community agreement with cannabis company Apotho Therapeutics on Monday, March 28.

“It’s very exciting,” Apotho CEO Andrew Medeiros said. “We’re looking forward to the next steps of being able to open up in Dartmouth.”

A host agreement  — a contract stipulating terms and conditions of operation — must be in place before a cannabis company can apply for a state license. 

The Plainville-based company plans to cultivate and manufacture marijuana inside the former Dartmouth Indoor Tennis Club located at 757 State Road.

Marijuana grown at the facility would be sold to retail sites across the state, including a potential Apotho retail store at the former Near East Asian Fusion Restaurant on Route 6.

Earlier this year, the Planning Board approved plans for the retail site. Apotho is currently working with the town’s Development Office on drafting a host community agreement for that facility.

According to Apotho President Mathew Medeiros, the facility would be under 24/7 security coverage from a mix of surveillance cameras and patrols. There will also be a secure storage vault and delivery bay.

The cultivation facility will also look to mitigate the odor of the cannabis plants it grows by sealing the building with a spray-on material and mounting industrial air filtration systems throughout.

A minimum of 55 people would work at the facility— with 10% of the workforce coming from Dartmouth, Mathew Medeiros said.

He added that the town would see immediate benefits, once approved. According to company projections, the Town of Dartmouth would see $675,000 in revenue from the facility for Fiscal Year 2024.

State regulations require that host communities can receive up to a three percent community impact fee and a three percent local tax on all marijuana sales, adding up to six percent.

The company president also pledged annual donations to the town to benefit parks and recreation, health and human service, and public safety. Contributions would also be made to local charities and drug education programs.

The final step for the company is to get its license from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. Andrew Medeiros said the anticipated opening of the Dartmouth facility is by the end of this year.

“That’s the dream,” he said.