GREENFIELD — The City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to support several changes to zoning bylaws that regulate marijuana cultivation, including what constitutes an “indoor cultivation” facility.
“We need this,” said At-Large Councilor Christine Forgey. “We needed this a while ago.”
The changes include changing the setback of marijuana cultivation sites from the nearest residential property to 400 feet. It also more specifically defines “indoor cultivation” as a “fully enclosed and secured space within a building envelope that complies with the Massachusetts Building Code and the Greenfield Building Code.” The structure should have a “complete opaque roof” and “a foundation, slab or equivalent base, to which the floor is secured by bolts or similar attachments.”
The revised language specifies that greenhouses and hoophouses would not be characterized as indoor cultivation sites.
Forgey credited the bylaw changes to citizen activism that followed news of the potential development of three Tier 11 outdoor cultivation sites on Country Club Road. 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 state Cannabis Control Commission.
After approving an amendment to the zoning bylaws to reimpose the Tier 1 limit of 5,000 square feet of canopy, with a limit of three Tier 1 operations allowed on any given parcel, City Council began the process of considering further amendments to zoning bylaws with respect to outdoor marijuana cultivation.
“I want to thank (Precinct 3 Councilor Virginia “Ginny” DeSorgher) for taking this,” Forgey said. “I’m thrilled to be able to support this. It gives Greenfield a lot of protection that it needed.”
DeSorgher drafted the original amendment, which was later revised with recommendations from the Planning Board. The amendments received a unanimous recommendation from the Economic Development Committee.
“It just firms up our rules about growing marijuana indoors,” said At-Large Councilor Philip Elmer, who also chairs the Economic Development Committee.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.