Sharon residents have rejected a proposed ban on recreational marijuana shops in town.
At Town Meeting on May 8, 543 residents voted in favor of the ban, and 553 were opposed. The measure required a two-thirds vote in favor to pass.
Since the measure failed at Town Meeting, the same question on the ballot for the town’s annual election the following week was null and void.
Three other marijuana-related articles passed at Town Meeting. Residents were unanimous that cultivation and sale of recreational marijuana should be limited to an area along Route 1, as are medical marijuana establishments.
An article to limit the number of retail recreational marijuana establishments to one in town passed, 222 to 61.
An article to tax recreational marijuana sales at 3 percent, the maximum allowed under state law, passed unanimously.
In 2016, 52.5 percent of Sharon voters were in favor of a statewide measure to legalize marijuana.
