Barre Planning Board hears public comment on recreational marijuana zoning rules

BARRE -- January 31, 2018, Barre Planning Board holds second public forum on recreational marijuana rules ahead of bylaw draft. The board, operating under a temporary moratorium adopted at the June 2017 Town Meeting, convened residents to weigh whether the town should permit retail cannabis outlets, commercial cultivation, and on-site consumption. A board member noted the town may impose a local excise tax of up to 3 percent on retail marijuana storefronts under draft state regulations issued December 23, 2017, while host community agreements, uncapped, remain a separate negotiating avenue. A farmer urged the board not to exclude agricultural landowners from cultivation licenses, comparing the situation to solar permitting, while a teacher raised youth safety and public safety funding concerns. Representatives from the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission attended and were thanked for supporting local municipalities through the process. No votes were taken.