GREENFIELD — Satisfied the plan met the requirements outlined by Massachusetts General Law, the Planning Board endorsed an Approval Not Required (ANR) plan for the roughly 20-acre parcel of land at 446 Country Club Road, where three groups have signed host community agreements to pursue separate licenses for outdoor marijuana cultivation sites.
An ANR allows the owner of land on a public road to subdivide the property without going through the subdivision process, explained Planning and Development Director Eric Twarog. This is because the property “does not show a division of land.”
“It must meet the frontage requirements of the district in which it’s located. … In this case, the two lots do have the required 200 feet of frontage,” Twarog said. “One (lot) has 205 (feet) and the other one has quite a bit more than that along Country Club Road. And there has to be practical access to the lots through the frontage, which they do through Country Club Road.”
The property became the subject of controversy following abutter notification from three LLCs eyeing the site for Tier 11 outdoor cultivation licenses from the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). Tier 11 allows for grow sites with up to 100,000 square feet of canopy, which is the largest size possible for a cultivation site in Massachusetts, according to the CCC. If approved, up to 300,000 square feet of canopy will be allowed on the Country Club Road parcel.
All three LLCs — Country Club Ventures, Fibonacci Farms and Greenfield Farma — have signed host community agreements, but have yet to file plans with the city. A community outreach meeting was held on Feb. 17.
“It’s not really a discretionary process,” Planning Board Chair Charles Roberts clarified, regarding the ANR endorsement. “We’re required by Mass General Law to evaluate the ANR for those essential criteria — frontage and access. Any potential uses for that property are not part of that discussion for us.”
Before voting to endorse on Thursday, Planning Board members asked for clarification on property lines as depicted on the ANR plan.
“It’s all one parcel,” Roberts explained. “Part of it is an (Agricultural Property Restriction) and part of it isn’t.”
Roberts said with ANRs, “we have to assume the professionalism of the people putting the documents together.”
Although the Planning Board discussion did not include a public hearing, there was some objection from resident Al Norman.
“My document I submitted challenges the notion this is perfunctory because the applicant said this plan is not a subdivision,” Norman said. “How do you make a plan that is not a subdivision — how do you give it an exemption from the subdivision ordinance?”
Twarog responded that that is “precisely why it’s called an Approval Not Required plan.”
“It is stating it is not a subdivision,” he said.
Planning Board members agreed Norman’s comments would be more appropriate for the joint public hearing with the Economic Development Committee on Tuesday at 6 p.m., which will be held via Webex. The hearing will be in regards to a proposed zoning amendment for marijuana cultivation facilities established in medium- to high-density neighborhoods and a moratorium on all special permits.
The hearing comes as a result of a petition signed by more than 500 residents following notification of the potential plans for three cultivation sites on Country Club Road.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne