The General
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Massachusetts - A company with an existing medical marijuana dispensary in Rhode Island has expressed an interest in opening a similar facility in Bridgewater, Town Manager Michael Dutton said. "I think there is a common perception of fields and fields of marijuana," Dutton said. But he said that is a misconception. The owners have promised the facility would be completely enclosed, with "enhanced security" and "meticulous record-keeping." "It's truly run, contrary to popular belief, as a medical facility," Dutton said.
The applicant is Alternative Compassion Services, Inc., and one of the partners is a principal in Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center, Inc. in Rhode Island, Dutton said. Town Planner Greg Guimond said representatives from the company have visited Bridgewater several times in the past few weeks to meet with the police chief, fire chief, Board of Health, building inspector and Guimond.
The proposed dispensary would be 8,000 to 10,000 square feet, Dutton said. And it would be located in an industrial area off Elm Street, Guimond said. The Council is considering a bylaw that would limit dispensaries to that section of town, known as "Industrial Zone E," which does not allow residential housing – though it does contain an existing 40B affordable housing development and one under construction, Guimond said. The entire zone is made up of a single area of about 900 acres east and west of Elm Street in the Home Depot neighborhood along Route 104 and extending north nearly to the West Bridgewater line.
The town has two other industrial zones, A and B, but they were both less suitable for dispensaries, Guimond said. Industrial Zone A allows residential housing and is scattered in five different areas around town. And Industrial Zone B is in the center of town near the railroad tracks, not an ideal location for a dispensary, Guimond said. Guimond said Industrial Zone E seems to suit the applicant as well. "It's an area they'd be interested in. It's commercial-industrial with good highway access," Guimond said. The Council has imposed a moratorium on medical marijuana facilities through Jan. 1 to give the town time to enact the bylaw.
The moratorium was originally planned to run through June 30 the maximum moratorium allowed by the state but councilors amended it in September on a motion by Council Vice President William Wood when they realized they did not need that long to put the bylaw in place. "The voters of Massachusetts said there could be medical marijuana dispensaries in the state. The moratorium was introduced so we could write the bylaw that would effectively comply with state law and put the proper zoning in place to protect the town," Council President Timothy Fitzgibbons said.
News Hawk - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Enterprisenews.com
Author: Rebecca Hyman
Contact: The Enterprise Contact Us
Website: Medical marijuana dispensary applicant eyes Bridgewater - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise
The applicant is Alternative Compassion Services, Inc., and one of the partners is a principal in Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center, Inc. in Rhode Island, Dutton said. Town Planner Greg Guimond said representatives from the company have visited Bridgewater several times in the past few weeks to meet with the police chief, fire chief, Board of Health, building inspector and Guimond.
The proposed dispensary would be 8,000 to 10,000 square feet, Dutton said. And it would be located in an industrial area off Elm Street, Guimond said. The Council is considering a bylaw that would limit dispensaries to that section of town, known as "Industrial Zone E," which does not allow residential housing – though it does contain an existing 40B affordable housing development and one under construction, Guimond said. The entire zone is made up of a single area of about 900 acres east and west of Elm Street in the Home Depot neighborhood along Route 104 and extending north nearly to the West Bridgewater line.
The town has two other industrial zones, A and B, but they were both less suitable for dispensaries, Guimond said. Industrial Zone A allows residential housing and is scattered in five different areas around town. And Industrial Zone B is in the center of town near the railroad tracks, not an ideal location for a dispensary, Guimond said. Guimond said Industrial Zone E seems to suit the applicant as well. "It's an area they'd be interested in. It's commercial-industrial with good highway access," Guimond said. The Council has imposed a moratorium on medical marijuana facilities through Jan. 1 to give the town time to enact the bylaw.
The moratorium was originally planned to run through June 30 the maximum moratorium allowed by the state but councilors amended it in September on a motion by Council Vice President William Wood when they realized they did not need that long to put the bylaw in place. "The voters of Massachusetts said there could be medical marijuana dispensaries in the state. The moratorium was introduced so we could write the bylaw that would effectively comply with state law and put the proper zoning in place to protect the town," Council President Timothy Fitzgibbons said.
News Hawk - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Enterprisenews.com
Author: Rebecca Hyman
Contact: The Enterprise Contact Us
Website: Medical marijuana dispensary applicant eyes Bridgewater - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise
