WHATELY — Whately became the first to pass town-specific regulations for growing and retail sales of recreational marijuana.
Now, as governed by bylaws, ones almost unanimously approved at Annual Town Meeting, farmers and businessmen can begin the process on this new venture, one that’s been in the works since the passage of the state ballot question in November 2016 that legalized marijuana.
“We’ve tried to provide good opportunity with good protection for the character of the town,” Planning Board member Judy Markland said at the Annual Town Meeting Tuesday night, which drew about hundred residents.
Providing farmers in the state with opportunities in the recreational marijuana market is something that local state representatives, farmers and members of the state’s Cannabis Control Commission have talked about. Now Whately will get to be the first in the county to see just how it’ll play out for the community.
“Our approach is slightly different than the other towns,” Parkland said. “We have tended to allow more areas for cultivation but more limits to size of building.”
Most zoning areas in town will be eligible for growth or retail, but all by special permit.
Throughout the process the possibility of a cooperative, like Cabot Creamery dairy co-op, could take hold in Whately, Parkland and the Planning Board have emphasized. This means one cooperative, possibly based in Whately, could use the pot grown in old tobacco barns or greenhouses here for a more regional sales model.
Despite a compressed timeline — the Cannabis Control Commission’ regulations for recreational marijuana were released early March, though a draft was available in December — Whately was able to respond to the final state regulations in less than two months before its Annual Town Meeting. The importance of acting should not be ignored given that as of July 1 this year, people can open up recreational marijuana establishments in communities that backed the 2016 recreational marijuana initiative. Whately and the rest of the county voted in support of the ballot question.
Had Whately not passed its bylaws or approved a moratorium to delay recreational marijuana sales and such, the town would have followed the parameters set by the state for where an establishment can go, how much they can grow and in what fashion they can grow it; the same is to be said about retail shops.
Reach Joshua Solomon at: jsolomon@recorder.com 413-772-0261, ext. 264