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Legalized medical marijuana becomes the law of the land in Massachusetts Jan. 1 and local communities are suddenly confronted with the possibility that a pot shop could open downtown.
Municipal officials in Plainville, Attleboro and across the state are wondering what, if anything, they should do about it.
Plainville Selectman Robert Fennessy said he wants his town to look into whether medical marijuana dispensaries should be restricted or banned through the town's zoning regulations.
Attleboro city councilors have voted to refer the question to a committee for study.
Just outside the local area, towns such as Walpole, Barnstable and Stoughton are wrestling with the new reality of medical marijuana.
Geoffrey Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which represents cities and towns, said the concern is widespread.
He said towns want to be prepared and want a say in whether a marijuana store can locate in their community.
"It's been bubbling up, and now it is emerging as a new challenging issue communities have to deal with," he said.
The law takes effect with the New Year, but the state Department of Public Health has 120 days to adopt regulations for issuing dispensary licenses, he said.
That means stores could be up and running before annual town meetings convene across the state, so towns would not have enough time to adopt new zoning rules, he said.
One marijuana company has already rented store space in Framingham in anticipation of the law taking effect.
The MMA is asking the state Legislature to delay implementation of the law for at least six months so cities and towns can take time to thoughtfully address the issue.
He said communities may want to use zoning changes to ban the business, restrict it to a particular area, such as an industrial zone, or keep it away from schools.
The law allows 35 dispensaries statewide and limits them to five per county.
With those types of limits, Beckwith said there should be no fear that every town will soon have a marijuana store.
But, some cities and towns might want to make sure they have no stores.
State Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy, is writing a bill calling for a delay in the law.
State Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, also said she would favor a postponement.
Cities and towns need time to prepare, she said, and the state has a new secretary of Health and Human Services. He needs time to get familiar with all the issues, she said.
Fennessy, the Plainville selectman, said he read about Walpole's concerns about a need for zoning regulations and it made him think Plainville also should investigate the issue.
He asked that the town's law firm provide information on the law and what Plainville can do.
Attleboro City Councilors Jay DiLisio and Jonathan Weydt also brought proposals to regulate the stores before the council Tuesday, and the measures were referred to a committee for study.
The medical marijuana law was passed in a referendum by voters last month. About 63 percent of voters favored the measure.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: thesunchronicle.com
Author: Jim Hand
Contact: The Sun Chronicle : Contact Us
Website: Medical marijuana emerging as major concern of municipal city officials - The Sun Chronicle : Local News: sun chronicle ma, attleboro sun, sun chronicle local news, the sun chronicle, thesunchronicle
Municipal officials in Plainville, Attleboro and across the state are wondering what, if anything, they should do about it.
Plainville Selectman Robert Fennessy said he wants his town to look into whether medical marijuana dispensaries should be restricted or banned through the town's zoning regulations.
Attleboro city councilors have voted to refer the question to a committee for study.
Just outside the local area, towns such as Walpole, Barnstable and Stoughton are wrestling with the new reality of medical marijuana.
Geoffrey Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which represents cities and towns, said the concern is widespread.
He said towns want to be prepared and want a say in whether a marijuana store can locate in their community.
"It's been bubbling up, and now it is emerging as a new challenging issue communities have to deal with," he said.
The law takes effect with the New Year, but the state Department of Public Health has 120 days to adopt regulations for issuing dispensary licenses, he said.
That means stores could be up and running before annual town meetings convene across the state, so towns would not have enough time to adopt new zoning rules, he said.
One marijuana company has already rented store space in Framingham in anticipation of the law taking effect.
The MMA is asking the state Legislature to delay implementation of the law for at least six months so cities and towns can take time to thoughtfully address the issue.
He said communities may want to use zoning changes to ban the business, restrict it to a particular area, such as an industrial zone, or keep it away from schools.
The law allows 35 dispensaries statewide and limits them to five per county.
With those types of limits, Beckwith said there should be no fear that every town will soon have a marijuana store.
But, some cities and towns might want to make sure they have no stores.
State Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy, is writing a bill calling for a delay in the law.
State Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, also said she would favor a postponement.
Cities and towns need time to prepare, she said, and the state has a new secretary of Health and Human Services. He needs time to get familiar with all the issues, she said.
Fennessy, the Plainville selectman, said he read about Walpole's concerns about a need for zoning regulations and it made him think Plainville also should investigate the issue.
He asked that the town's law firm provide information on the law and what Plainville can do.
Attleboro City Councilors Jay DiLisio and Jonathan Weydt also brought proposals to regulate the stores before the council Tuesday, and the measures were referred to a committee for study.
The medical marijuana law was passed in a referendum by voters last month. About 63 percent of voters favored the measure.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: thesunchronicle.com
Author: Jim Hand
Contact: The Sun Chronicle : Contact Us
Website: Medical marijuana emerging as major concern of municipal city officials - The Sun Chronicle : Local News: sun chronicle ma, attleboro sun, sun chronicle local news, the sun chronicle, thesunchronicle
