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The Planning Board released a draft of a bylaw designed to zone where potential medical marijuana dispensaries would be allowed in town.
During their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11, board members discussed where each the growing, the distribution and the production of medical marijuana could occur. The draft zoning allows all three phases to bo be placed in the existing manufacturing (CM) district, particularly Hartwell Avenue. The location would keep it in line with the production and manufacturing theme of area, while keeping it away from residential areas, according to proponents of this zoning.
However board members did not rule out allowing regional marijuana dispensaries (RMD) in the central business (CB) and retail (CRS) districts, proponents of this zoning noted it fit within the already existing retail presence.
"The state encourages that it is somewhere reachable by public transit, but if [users] can't get it by their own devices they can grow it at home," said Planning Director Maryann McCall-Taylor. "We would as soon discourage that, and put it at a central location."
In June, Town Meeting placed a one-year moratorium on allowing RMD's in order to allow the Planning Board, Board of Selectmen and Board of Health to create a comprehensive bylaw. The moratorium will be lifted on July 31, 2014.
During the public hearing portion of Wednesday's meeting the four speakers were evenly split between keeping distribution close to other retail stores and pushing it to outskirts of town.
"They should be allowed the same rights as a pharmacy. Period," said Precinct 7 Town Meeting member and Fifer Lane resident David Kanter. "There are far more dangerous elements out there than this."
However, Lexington Police Capt. Manny Ferro said including distribution centers in retail heavy locations could be dangerous to the area, similar to the dangers associated of liquor stores.
"We had underage people go to the facility paying two or three times what [the alcohol] was worth," Ferro said, referring to when minors ask other customers to make the purchase for them. "Crime rates increase with assaults, vandalism and rip-offs."
"We see pizza delivery men being ripped off for $20, we can only imagine what $4,000 in product will cause," said Ferro, noting that distributors might use a delivery option to bring medical marijuana to patients.
Ferro added the Police Department would not be able to provide enough manpower to protect against an increase in robberies if a RMD were to be put in Lexington Center.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: wickedlocal.com
Author: Marc Filippino
Contact: Lexington Minuteman Contact Us
Website: Medical marijuana zoning bylaw taking shape - Lexington, MA - Lexington Minuteman
During their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11, board members discussed where each the growing, the distribution and the production of medical marijuana could occur. The draft zoning allows all three phases to bo be placed in the existing manufacturing (CM) district, particularly Hartwell Avenue. The location would keep it in line with the production and manufacturing theme of area, while keeping it away from residential areas, according to proponents of this zoning.
However board members did not rule out allowing regional marijuana dispensaries (RMD) in the central business (CB) and retail (CRS) districts, proponents of this zoning noted it fit within the already existing retail presence.
"The state encourages that it is somewhere reachable by public transit, but if [users] can't get it by their own devices they can grow it at home," said Planning Director Maryann McCall-Taylor. "We would as soon discourage that, and put it at a central location."
In June, Town Meeting placed a one-year moratorium on allowing RMD's in order to allow the Planning Board, Board of Selectmen and Board of Health to create a comprehensive bylaw. The moratorium will be lifted on July 31, 2014.
During the public hearing portion of Wednesday's meeting the four speakers were evenly split between keeping distribution close to other retail stores and pushing it to outskirts of town.
"They should be allowed the same rights as a pharmacy. Period," said Precinct 7 Town Meeting member and Fifer Lane resident David Kanter. "There are far more dangerous elements out there than this."
However, Lexington Police Capt. Manny Ferro said including distribution centers in retail heavy locations could be dangerous to the area, similar to the dangers associated of liquor stores.
"We had underage people go to the facility paying two or three times what [the alcohol] was worth," Ferro said, referring to when minors ask other customers to make the purchase for them. "Crime rates increase with assaults, vandalism and rip-offs."
"We see pizza delivery men being ripped off for $20, we can only imagine what $4,000 in product will cause," said Ferro, noting that distributors might use a delivery option to bring medical marijuana to patients.
Ferro added the Police Department would not be able to provide enough manpower to protect against an increase in robberies if a RMD were to be put in Lexington Center.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: wickedlocal.com
Author: Marc Filippino
Contact: Lexington Minuteman Contact Us
Website: Medical marijuana zoning bylaw taking shape - Lexington, MA - Lexington Minuteman
