PHILLIPSTON — The Planning Board Monday night reminded residents that a public hearing on proposed zoning regulations covering retail marijuana establishments is coming up in less than three weeks. The proposal will cover adult use cannabis retailers. The town’s current bylaw covers medical use marijuana establishments only.
Board Chair Bernard Malouin said, “It’s going to be in the same zone as the medical marijuana, it’s just more descriptive – to include the recreational marijuana.”
“We looked at some other communities,” said board member Wayne Richard, “but we also did some of it ourselves. We sent it to the town attorney and they tweaked it; they made some modifications that would make it consistent with state law.”
Thus far, according to Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Flynn, the town has received no applications for the establishment of a retail pot shop although, Damon Schmidt, who plans on opening a marijuana cultivation operation in neighboring Royalston, has made some inquiries. Schmidt also briefly attended Monday’s meeting of the Planning Board.
The Royalston business would be located at 130 South Royalston Road/Route 68, just south of Stockwell Road. Schmidt said in January that the building housing the operation would be 10,000 square feet in size, adding that the cost to build and equip the structure is estimated at around $1 million. He said several investors are putting up money for the business.
Phillipston’s proposed zoning regulations would limit the establishment of cannabis retailers to the C1 (Commercial) zone. Lots on which the shops might be located must have frontage and access along Route 2A/State Road and be established with 400 feet of the parcel’s front lot line.
State law requires that the number of retail cannabis licenses granted by a city or town be equal to 20 percent of the liquor licenses in force in that community. Flynn said Phillipston currently has five liquor licenses on record, meaning at least one pot shop must be allowed in town. Communities can opt to exceed the minimum number of licenses set by the state but must not drop below it.
Locally, Phillipston recorded the second-most lopsided approval of Question 4, the 2016 state ballot question which approved the legalization of recreational marijuana, with 59.7 percent of voters casting a “yes” vote and 40.3 percent saying “no.” Only Winchendon, which voted 60-40 in favor of legalization, notched a higher rate of approval.
The zoning proposal would limit the hours of operation for marijuana retailers from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. It also prohibits the use of marijuana products – smoked, vaped, or eaten – inside the retail establishment. The amount of floor-space open to the public is prohibited from exceeding 2,500 square feet.
The proposed by law also bans any marijuana establishment from operating within 300 feet of any school or competing retailer.
The public hearing on the zoning amendment will be held Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.