WESTFIELD – The City Council voted last night to request the Engineering Department submit two maps showing where medical marijuana facilities would be allowed in the Industrial A and Business B zones of the city.
The two maps would reflect the original zones of the proposed ordinance which establishes a 500-foot buffer from schools, churches and places where children congregate, and a 700-foot buffer in an amended version of the medical marijuana ordinance approved Tuesday by the Planning Board.
Both proposed ordinance versions set a 300-foot buffer from medical marijuana facilities and residential property and both versions would allow those facilities in the Industrial A zone through a site plan review by the Planning Board and in a Business B zone through a special permit review by the Planning Board.
At-large Councilor David A. Flaherty made the motion that the maps be submitted to the Zoning, Planning & Development Committee, which he chairs, in advance of the discussion of the medical marijuana ordinance review slated for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26.
“I’ve contacted the Engineering Department so we can visually see in what parts of the city these facilities would be allowed and what areas are blacked out by buffer zones,” Flaherty said.
At-large Councilor Brian Sullivan amended Flaherty’s motion to include the Legislative & Ordinance Committee which will bring a final version of the proposed ordinance to the council floor for consideration.
At-large Councilor Matthew VanHeynigan, who was a member of the Planning Board prior to his election to the City Council, said the Planning Board discussion Tuesday attempted to balance the safety of city residents with state law which prohibits communities from outright banning medical marijuana facilities.
“The concern is that the buffer zones cannot be so expansive that they become exclusionary,” VanHeynigan said. “If the ordinance is exclusionary the Attorney General will strike it down.”
At-large Councilor Cindy Harris, also a member of the ZP&D Committee, said that the maps will provide a visual aid during discussion of the proposed ordinance.
“It’s an excellent idea to be able to see visually where these (medical marijuana) facilities could be located,” Harris said.
The council voted 11-0 to request the maps from the Engineering Department showing the Industrial A and Business B zones with an overlay of the exclusionary buffer areas.
