CONWAY — The Planning Board is accepting written comments until Jan. 2 on the site plan and special permit applications filed by a husband and wife wanting to start a craft marijuana cooperative at 40 Whately Glen Road.
John Moore and Lisa Gustavsen of Roaring Glen Farms LLC — the name for which comes from the property’s location at the corner of Whately Glen and Roaring Brook roads — are interested in opening an outdoor organic cultivation marijuana establishment. Comments should be submitted to planningboard@townofconway.com.
The town held a public hearing on Dec. 19, and neighbors and abutters came to express their opinions and concerns. The Planning Board is expected to reconvene in Town Hall at 6 p.m. on Jan. 2 to allow for public review and comments on Roaring Glen Farm’s application.
Town Administrator Tom Hutcheson said the Planning Board will establish any special conditions Moore and Gustavsen must meet to obtain the special permit. Planning Board Chair Beth Girshman said there is not yet a posted agenda for the Jan. 2 meeting.
Kim and Stanley Goddard, owners of Shirkshire Farm, wrote a letter in support of approval of the application, saying the “cooperative would help expand agriculture in Conway and would ultimately provide a financial benefit for the town.”
Moore and Gustavsen want a craft marijuana cooperative license so they can grow up to 100,000 square feet of sun-grown, organic cannabis in a combination of outdoor and high tunnel/hoop house environments. Their objectives are to start and grow immature and mature plants in high tunnels; conduct outdoor cultivation of 75,000 square feet (1.72 acres) of canopy; and build a container/building space for the drying and packaging of cannabis storage, an office, team lockers, employee break room and what they call comfort facilities.
Moore and Gustavsen plan to use tri-wire wildlife fencing as well as Avigilon security cameras that maintain 90 days’ worth of footage at a time.
According to their Dec. 19 presentation during the public hearing, there is onsite parking for people who commonly use the premises and an existing natural site screening of more than 10 feet wide. Other than typical agricultural operations, no additional noise is anticipated.
“Odor will be mitigated through plant siting and available low-odor plant selection where applicable,” their presentation states.
There are no hazardous materials anticipated, with the farm using only organic cultivation materials. There are also no new driveways proposed and no signs required or proposed.
Gustavsen previously told the Greenfield Recorder that the legalization of non-medical marijuana is a really interesting opportunity for Massachusetts. Moore said this could help revive dairy farms and abandoned land across the state. Conway, for example, once had 12 dairy farms; today, there is one.
A military veteran, Moore said he would like to employ former service members. He also said his family has been farming in Massachusetts for five generations. He has 25 years of experience, most recently growing hybrid black walnuts in Amherst.
More information about Roaring Glen Farm and its applications can be found at: bit.ly/2MvnrQY.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.