South Hadley to explore eliminating ban on marijuana establishments

The Selectboard discusses eliminating a ban on marijuana establishments during its July 14 meeting.
Photo credit: SHCTV15

SOUTH HADLEY — South Hadley will look at the possibility of allowing marijuana establishments to operate in the town, which, if decided, would undo an eight-year ban on the businesses.

During its July 14 meeting, the Selectboard looked at two potential bylaw changes that would eliminate the current ban on marijuana establishments within the town’s borders.

To allow for cannabis establishments to be in South Hadley, Wong explained that the town would have to amend its general and zoning bylaws.

The question of whether to eliminate the ban in the interim would have to appear on a Town Meeting warrant too, and Wong said it would also have to go through the relevant boards and committees for public hearings and discussions.

The Selectboard approved sending the potential bylaw change to the town staff for review.

Selectboard Chair Jeff Cyr stated, “I think from an economic perspective, it’s a good idea.”

South Hadley banned the sale of commercial recreational marijuana in 2018 after residents approved the ban at a January Special Town Meeting and an April town election. Those votes came after the Planning Board proposed that an amendment be made to the town’s zoning code to prohibit five types of recreational marijuana businesses — craft marijuana cultivator cooperatives, marijuana cultivators, marijuana product manufacturers, marijuana testing facilities and marijuana retailers — from operating in any zoning district.

This ban followed a vote in 2016 where 4,779 South Hadley residents voted in favor of legalizing marijuana. Meanwhile, 4,445 residents voted against it.

Massachusetts voters approved a ballot question in 2016, which legalized the possession, cultivation, and distribution of marijuana for non-medical purposes. In that election, approximately 51% of South Hadley’s participating voters voted in favor of the question.

The town also plans to review its bylaw about mobile food trucks in the near future, althougb what changes will be made was not determined at the meeting.

The current bylaw, Chapter 177-4, which relates to vending on private commercial properties, states that these types of properties are limited to all business districts with initial site plan review by the Planning Board. The bylaw states that a mobile food unit “shall be located entirely on the property being served and is limited to no more than 14 days per calendar month at any one location.

Selectboard member Carol Constant stated that she was in favor of looking at the current bylaw.

“I think this is a really fun idea,” she said. “I know that sometimes box buildings, box stores, brick and mortar stores sometimes feel that this can be a threat to their business, but I just got back from Portland, Oregon, and they have really cool food truck pods where they have like six food trucks in one spot, and it’s just a really fun vibe.”