BOS not objecting to medical marijuana dispensary
By Mike BergerThe Board of Selectmen voted 4-1 on Tuesday night to issue a statement of “no objection” to a proposed medical marijuana dispensary on New Boston Drive in Canton. The proposal was submitted by MD Holistics, owned by the Mullen family, and includes plans for a 5,000-square-foot facility.
Selectman Bob Burr cast the lone dissenting vote. The selectmen’s letter will be sent to the state office supervising medical marijuana dispensaries. The application is subject to action and restrictions by the Canton zoning board.
Selectman Kevin Feeney said the town has very little choice in the decision following the recent state ballot vote legalizing medical marijuana dispensaries. A resident voiced objection to the plan at the meeting, stating that marijuana was a “gateway drug” that leads to drug addiction. He also objected to the siting near the Irish Cultural Center.
Selectmen Chairman John Connolly noted that a dance studio located near 1 New Boston Drive will leave the area by June 1.
In other news Tuesday night:
* Selectmen received a draft of rules and regulations for the use of Reservoir Pond from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Selectmen sent the draft to Town Counsel Paul DeRensis, who has forwarded his recommendations back to selectmen. The draft of rules will be posted on the town website. Selectmen plan to indefinitely postpone four warrant articles pertaining to Reservoir Pond and will hold a public hearing after the May town meeting to solicit public input. In a related matter, selectmen extended the deadline for abutters to return the Reservoir Pond watercraft inventory questionnaire to April 30.
* Selectmen will hold a public hearing on May 24 to review a recommendation by Police Chief Ken Berkowitz to install no parking signs at the Bolivar Street location where people fish. As he found with the area near the Pleasant Street dam, Berkowitz said cars are parking on the sidewalk, which creates a dangerous situation for pedestrians. He said people who wish to fish at the Bolivar Street location can park their vehicles at the town pool or across the street at the DPW garage, a short walking distance from the pond.
In a letter to Selectman Victor Del Vecchio, Berkowitz said his petition to install no parking signs on Pleasant Street in 2014 had to do with his firsthand observations while jogging past the pond as he witnessed people pushing baby carriages, youngsters riding bikes, and runners forced to run in the street to avoid illegally parked vehicles. Berkowitz stressed his petition was made prior to the town acquiring Reservoir Pond from Plymouth Rubber and that “none of it had anything to do with access to Reservoir Pond. It was a public safety concern that needed to be addressed before someone was seriously injured.”
See this week’s Canton Citizen for more highlights from the April 26 selectmen’s meeting. Not a subscriber? Click here to order your subscription today (also available in digital form).
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=33161
Posted by Mike Berger
on Apr 28 2016. Filed under News, Town Government.
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