Public Hearing on Amendments to Cannabis Bylaw
Public Hearing on Amendments to Cannabis Bylaw Nov. 9th 7-9 PM
Background
The citizens of Chesterfield voted to approve a Cannabis Bylaw (Version 8) at a Special Town Meeting held on March 30, 2023. This culminated a several year process begun by the Town after a community meeting on the Ember Gardens project in the spring of 2020. The Planning Board administered a town-wide survey that Fall and held public meetings for the next two years. Upon the Town Meeting approval of the Bylaw, the document was sent to the State Attorney General’s Office for approval, which was received on Sept. 7, 2023 and is effective retroactively to March 30, 2023.
At the Town Meeting held on May 8, 2023, voters also approved a Citizen’s Petition, a non-binding petition, to refer the Bylaw back to the Planning Board for reconsideration of the following article as read by the Town Moderator: Article 24: Petition to ban Marijuana facilities from the town as follows:
“The operation of all Marijuana Establishments now or in the future permitted to operate under Massachusetts law, including but not limited to, Craft Marijuana Cooperatives, Marijuana Couriers, Marijuana Cultivators Indoor, Marijuana Cultivators Outdoor, Marijuana Delivery Operators, Marijuana Independent Testing Laboratories, Marijuana Microbusinesses, Marijuana Product Manufacturers, Marijuana Research Facilities, Marijuana Transporters, and Social Consumption Sites, are prohibited within the Town of Chesterfield, with the exception of Marijuana Retailers and Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers or Registered Marijuana Dispensaries. Further, that this petition be referred back to the Planning Board to revise the Cannabis Zoning Bylaw passed on 3/30/23. Further, that the Planning Board be directed to complete this work including a public hearing and report back to the Select Board no later than September 30, 2023; and to direct the Select Board to hold a special town meeting on this matter, no later than November 20, 2023.”
This vote does not affect the legal personal use of marijuana in town by adults.
The Planning Board voted to deliberate on the citizen’s petition requests and has agreed on new language to address the citizen’s petition as well as included language required by the Attorney General. All language has been reviewed by Town Counsel. This revised Bylaw is available at the table near the Town Clerk’s Office at the Davenport Building, 422 Main Rd., Chesterfield, and on-line on the Town’s web site: https://www.townofchesterfieldma.com/home/news/planning-board-public-hearing-re-proposed-amendments-cannabis-bylaw
Public Hearing
A duly notified Public Hearing has been scheduled on Thursday, Nov. 9 from 7-9 PM at the Chesterfield Community Center, 400 Main Road.
Citizens who wish to comment will be asked to submit their letters to the Planning Board by email (planningboard@townofchesterfieldma.com) or by mail to PO Box 299, Chesterfield, MA 01012 (to be received no later than 5 days in advance of the hearing). Communications received by then will become part of the public record of the hearing. Citizens may also testify at the hearing and will be encouraged to speak for a maximum of 5 minutes, to allow all other citizens time to speak.
The Planning Board will vote on the matter at their next regularly scheduled meeting.