Marijuana cultivation vote postponed again

Oct 27, 2022

A vote on a proposed marijuana cultivation facility on Old Fall River Road will have to wait at least another month. 

The Zoning Board of Appeals announced during its Oct. 26 that the matter will be continued to Nov. 30.

Board Chair Michael Medeiros said the request came from the applicant after a representative from the Massachusetts Farm Bureau said they would not be able to attend in order to clarify a letter the bureau sent in September.

The property lies just outside of the Town Meeting-approved Marijuana Overlay District. It also has an agricultural preservation restriction currently held by the Farm Bureau.

In its letter, the bureau said that it would be okay to cultivate marijuana on the property, but stipulated that should the project move forward, the home which currently lies on the property must remain as a residential structure.

It was that stipulation that raised concerns from the board, as town bylaws prohibit a marijuana facility from being within 500 feet of a residential building.

The applicant’s attorney, meanwhile, previously argued that the building could be used as an office, as long as it maintained the aesthetic of a home.

The proposal was first presented to the Zoning Board this past March.