BUCKLAND — A proposal to tighten up town regulations for how long people can live inside trailer homes raised objections from some of the three dozen residents at a public hearing this week. And talk about how the town will regulate marijuana-related businesses showed those present were interested in how the town could generate new revenues for the town.
Currently, people can live inside trailer homes or campers in town for up to “60 consecutive days,” but the Planning Board was concerned that the rule as written allows people to resume living in them after a brief absence. The revision would allow people to live in campers or trailers for up to 60 days total — within one calendar year and in any location or locations within the town.
A couple whose adult son came to stay with them last summer, residing in his trailer on their property, talked about the regulations he went through to be able to stay. They said he registered his trailer in Buckland, paying excise taxes here, and that he had the wastewater taken out of the trailer septic system every two weeks.
Some said they thought the length of time people were allowed to stay in their trailers should be extended, so that someone could stay in Buckland for a full summer season.
Selectboard Chairwoman Dena Willmore said Buckland “should make coming here more welcome.” She said allowing longer stays in campers and mobile homes might draw more summer visitors and elders. She suggested Buckland could consider zoning for an “RV park,” where trailers inhabited for longer stays could be placed.
Cheryl Dukes said the town might consider different regulations for campers in the more open, rural areas of town. She said the village area, where homes are closer together, should have more restrictive rules about those staying in campers.
To stay for more than 60 days in a trailer requires getting a special permit. One resident asked how hard would it be to get a special permit, so someone could extend a visit for more than 60 days. Planning Board Chairman John Gould explained that a special permit would require a public hearing and a two-week advance posting of the hearing and notification of abutters. It wouldn’t be something that a visitor could decide to undertake at the last minute.
Most present asked the Planning Board to reconsider rules for trailer/camper use.
When Gould asked how those in attendance wanted to see recreational marijuana regulated in town, one man replied: “Just open it up to whatever the state is going to allow. If not,” he added, “then another town will.”
“I’m personally in favor of cultivation (of marijuana) for our farmers — which is probably more profitable than milk,” said Willmore. “I would like to see retail establishments. The Selectboard is looking for additional revenue for the town. We don’t have an industrial district,” Willmore pointed out. “We look at this as another opportunity for the town to get more revenue, when its growth is very flat. We want to know how much interest there is.”
Willmore said putting up a moratorium or more restrictions on marijuana businesses than the state requires sends the message that such business is unwelcome here.
Gould remarked that the state “is not treating this as agriculture,” since growing marijuana under state regulations requires growing within an enclosure and regulations regarding water use.
Dukes asked if the Board of Health and police are involved “in this conversation,” since “it’s a very complicated conversation.” Dukes said she saw, in New Jersey, people who were counting on the building of casinos to bring in new revenues and jobs, but were ultimately disappointed. “People get sold on a bill of goods like the casinos that didn’t really bring in that much money.”
The Planning Board is just beginning to study what kinds of marijuana businesses the town would like to see and hopes to have additional information for townspeople later this spring.