ORANGE — A bylaw amendment that would create a section of town where marijuana businesses could open will be put to a special town meeting vote.
The proposed overlay district covers land within Randall Pond Park and the Orange Industrial Park. Thursday’s special town meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Ruth B. Smith Auditorium in Town Hall, 6 Prospect St.
If voted in favor, regulations would be established for controlling marijuana cultivation, processing, testing, manufacturing and retail sale within the district, according to the special town meeting warrant.
Voters at the meeting will also decide whether to adopt a temporary marijuana moratorium. If passed, the development of all medical and recreational marijuana establishments in town would be banned through Dec. 31. Currently, Orange doesn’t have a zoning bylaw that specifically addresses marijuana establishments.
The reason for the proposed moratorium, as outlined in the warrant, is because the town needs to consider the regulation of recreational and medical marijuana establishments, as well as address potential effects of amending the zoning bylaw.
A third item on the warrant related to local marijuana policy proposes a 3 percent local sales tax on the sale or transfer of any marijuana products. If it’s implemented, the tax would be imposed on all marijuana retailers within town limits.
Also on Thursday’s warrant are a number of monetary transfers and payments that require public approval.
For projects at the Orange Municipal Airport, residents “will vote to transfer and appropriate the sum of $4,109.10 from the Airport Revolving Fund account to pay the town’s portion of a $2,032,000 federal and state grant for the Reconstruction of Taxiway Delta Project.”
Another article asks for $11,500 from the Airport Revolving Fund to pay the town’s portion of another $230,000 grant funding the Airspace Obstruction Analysis Project.
A third airport related article requests $5,250 from the same account to pay $5,250 of a $105,000 grant for a Wildlife Hazard Assessment and Management Plan Project.
From the town’s “free cash” surplus account, there’s a request for $11,000 to purchase an inflatable rescue boat with a trailer; another to appropriate $75,000 to pay town employee health insurance costs; $25,000 for legal fees due to union negotiations and marijuana legislation; $45,000 for unemployment expenses and $20,000 to pay police overtime wages.
According to a notice posted on the town’s website, complete text of the proposed amendments and zoning map are on file with the Orange Town Clerk and Community Development Director in the Town Hall.
Documents are available for viewing today from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact the town hall at 978-544-1100.
You can reach Andy Castillo
at: acastillo@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 263
On Twitter: @AndyCCastillo