Thursday, March 14, 2013
Attorney General Martha Coakley finds that an outright zoning ban on medical marijuana facilities in a town conflicts with the purpose of the law.
Towns are not allowed to enact outright bans on marijuana treatment centers, so says Attorney General Martha Coakley in a decision issued Wednesday. On the face of it, while the decision wasn't targeted at Peabody, it does appear to invalidate the city's recent ban on medical marijuana facilities. Coakley says Massachusetts law now allows for such facilities, so they have a right to locate somewhere. Cities and towns could, however, draft zoning regulations to limit where a dispensary could operate. Coakley specifically weighed in on a zoning ban approved at Town Meeting in Wakefield in November, finding it conflicted with state law. "We find that such a ban would frustrate the purpose of [the law]...to allow qualifying patients, who have …
Friday, January 25, 2013
City officials sign off on zoning ban for medical marijuana facilities in hopes it will just discourage potential shop owners from considering sites in Peabody rather than go to court. State still has yet to develop rules and regulations.
It's official: no pot shops in Peabody. The City Council unanimously voted Thursday night to support a zoning ban on medicial marijuana growing and distribution facilities within the city limits. Mayor Ted Bettencourt has pushed for the local ban since shortly after voters approved the ballot question for medical marijuana in November. Bettencourt has said he has grave concerns about the new law and operation of such facilities and still has yet to receive any information or guidelines from the state, which will be regulating the pot shops. In light of those unknowns, he believes it's in the best interest of the city to prohibit such facilities altogether. He said understands the value of medical marijuana in certain cases, but believes it…
Friday, January 11, 2013
The City Council continued a public hearing Thursday on a zoning amendment to ban medical marijuana facilities in Peabody until Jan. 24. The delay is for the council to receive a necessary recommendation from the Planning Board first.
The City Council postponed its vote Thursday night on a ban of medical marijuana facilities in Peabody, but the outcome of the vote is all but assured. Councilors initially leant their support to Mayor Ted Bettencourt in November, agreeing to send the issue along to the Planning Board for a recommendation on a zoning amendment that would prohibit dispensaries or growing facilities from setting up shop anywhere in the city. The Planning Board voted Jan. 3 unanimously in support of a zoning ban, but the subsequent recommendation, which is needed for the council to act on, was too late to make it on for the council's Jan. 10 session. Bettencourt and councilors again briefly discussed their concerns Thursday night of medical marijuana, which …
Chris Chatzi
1:52 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Bob, I have no problem with you expressing your opinion. Nor am I engaging in a debate on the quality of the law. If you read my posts you will see that I do not share my opinion on the quality of the law. I am simply trying to correct the misinformation that you spread all over the comments. more ›