JAY — The Select Board voted 4-1 Monday to approve an amendment of the adult use marijuana ordinance to change the 200-foot setback requirement from property lines to 150 feet and to have a minimum 5-acre parcel to cultivate or manufacture marijuana.
The change will go to the town’s attorney to develop the wording for a warrant article. Voters will decide the issue at the polls Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Community Building.
Resident Mark Mancini has asked the board twice to reduce the setbacks. The first time the board took no action, but Mancini could petition the board to put the question before voters. In March, the board decided to send the ordinance to the town’s Marijuana Committee to review if they wanted to change the setbacks.
Voters approved the adult use marijuana ordinance for cultivation and manufacturing by a 805-608 vote on Nov. 2, 2021.
The current setback rule requires businesses be 200 feet from property lines and 1,000 feet from schools. The ordinance does not allow retail stores.
The committee reviewed the ordinance and ended up recommending a 50-foot setback from property lines and a minimum 5-acre parcel to grow marijuana inside or outdoors and manufacture it.
Some on the board thought that the 50 feet was too close to an abutting property.
Selectman Gary McGrane opposed the vote on the 150-foot setback. He was on the Marijuana Committee as a selectperson.
Selectman Tom Goding was also on the committee and voted in favor of the 150-foot setback and 5-acre property parcel. Also approving the change were Selectpersons Lee Ann Dalessandro, Chairman Terry Bergeron and Vice Chairman Terry Bergeron.
Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said they looked at the ordinance and committee actions prior to it going to a vote in 2021. They realized the committee had not made recommendations for setback standards. The Select Board did, she said.
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