Barre Select Board advances marijuana zoning bylaw toward Special Town Meeting vote

BARRE — November 19, 2018 — Barre Select Board advances marijuana zoning bylaw and flags library funding concerns at November meeting. The board spent the bulk of its November 19 session reviewing a draft marijuana zoning bylaw with a Planning Board collaborator, settling on a firm 500-foot minimum setback from schools and licensed daycares while allowing case-by-case distances for other sensitive locations tied to local alcohol establishment standards. Hours of operation were pulled from the bylaw and left to individual host community agreements. The board also declined to commit capital funds for roof and air handling repairs at the Henry Woods Memorial Library — estimated potentially at $100,000 or more — until a formal leasehold agreement is in place with the building's private owner, the Barre Library Association. The one formal vote of the night was the unanimous appointment of Susan Ash to the Open Space and Recreation Committee. A police chief briefed the board on nearly finalized "acuity rating" protocols and joint mental health training with Stetson School, describing the relationship as significantly improved from the prior year.