Panel Discussion on Marijuana Zoning Bylaw

Panel discussion and Q&A on Williamstown’s proposed zoning bylaw for recreational and medical marijuana. The bylaw, Article 36 on the town meeting warrant, will be voted at town meeting on Tuesday May 16 at 7PM at Williamstown Elementary School. Panelists include Williamstown’s Town Counsel Joel Bard of KP-Law and Planning Board chair Amy Jeschawitz. The discussion will be moderated by Selectwoman Anne O’Connor. Anyone with an interest in understanding the zoning bylaw, or with questions about marijuana legalization and its implementation, is encouraged to attend. The bylaw zones for three types of marijuana businesses: retail, production, and testing. The proposed bylaw would allow retail by right in the Planned Business district (roughly the commercial strips of Rte 2 east and Simonds Road north), and by special permit in the Southern Gateway (the Cold Spring Road section of Rte 7 south), testing facilities by right in Limited Industrial; production by right in Limited Industrial and by special permit in Rural Residence 2 and Rural Residence 3. Questions that could be asked include: What do we know about what retail marijuana outlets might look like—could Cumberland Farms start selling pot? Will retail include edibles that look like candy? What about pot brownies at a farm stand—could pot increase our tourist economy? What are the implications of having no zoning in place? Is there a process through which towns may opt out of hosting retail marijuana? What are other towns across the Commonwealth doing? “I was moved to organize this forum after hearing the concern expressed at the Planning Board’s public hearing about retail marijuana and in light of my own deliberations about the best path forward for the town. Because the regulations for retail marijuana have not yet been written, there is a lack of clarity around what a retail marijuana operation will look like or even how towns should prepare for legal marijuana. I felt it would be helpful to allow people to ask questions of our legal counsel in advance of town meeting. It took some time to pull this together, but fortunately it worked out.” Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eggrole/4947751480