“Town meeting can get messy sometimes,” Town Planner Chris DiIorio said at the planning board’s April 10 public hearing, adding that language needed to be cleaned up in the marijuana bylaw approved at special town meeting on August 31, 2023.
DiIorio explained when town officials looked at the bylaw more closely with legal counsel, they found the bylaw approved more than just retail marijuana establishments; it also removed some key details like buffer zones around children’s establishments; limiting retail to two businesses; and that no two retail marijuana establishments could be within 2,500 feet of one another.
As part of reviewing the town’s marijuana regulations, the town hired outside counsel (KP Law) to clarify what was adopted at the 2018 town meeting related to banning the sale of recreational marijuana in Hull and make recommendations for bylaw amendments to clear up confusion.
At the planning board public hearing, member Harry Hibbard said he was concerned voters will think a vote on retail marijuana is back on the table, when voters at special town meeting in August supported allowing the sale of recreational marijuana by a majority of 283 to 60.
He said people need to understand recreational marijuana is “approved and done,” and a vote against the marijuana zoning bylaw amendment and the general bylaw amendment next month does not change the approval of retail marijuana sales in Hull.
“We’re not changing what was passed (earlier),” Town…
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