Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The Attorney General's office says that while an outright ban on medical marijuana undermines the new law, placing a temporary ban until state regulations are decided or simply placing zoning restrictions on facilities are legal alternatives.
Mayor Ted Bettencourt, faced with the possibility of the city's new ban on medical marijuana dispensaries being struck down, says he's considering a moratorium instead until state health officials put regulations in place this spring. Attorney General Martha Coakley released a decision last week that found Wakefield's ban on medical marijuana in conflict with the state law approved by voters in November. Peabody's ban is very similar to Wakefield's. Coakley said cities and towns cannot enact outright bans, but rather limit such facilities to certain areas through zoning or impose a moratorium until regulations are in place. Bettencourt tells the Salem News the city's lawyers are reviewing the matter and the City Council may also revisit a …
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 …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The City Council and Planning Board will hold separate hearings in January to review a proposed ban on medical marijuana facilities in Peabody.
Despite the initial desire from Peabody city officials to act quickly on the matter before year end, a joint review of a proposed zoning ban on medical marijuana facilities between the City Council and Planning Board has been canceled and separate hearings will now be held in January. City Clerk Tim Spanos says the Planning Board hearing is scheduled for Jan. 3 and the council hearing is Jan. 10. "At the request of the mayor, the Dec. 27 joint hearing with the Planning Board on the medical marijuana zoning issue has been canceled. The mayor did not want to put councilors and Planning Board members out of their way so close to the holidays," Spanos said via email. The Planning Board will consider the proposed ban from Mayor Ted Bettencourt …
Concerned citizen
9:13 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Boris you da man !!!! Fire it up bro.... Bonnie-Jean is just an old dried up "house Frau" :-) Relax Bonnie and smoke a joint.... more ›