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Joint Planning Board, Planning & Development Committee, and Committee of the Whole Meeting

Event Date: 
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 - 7:00pm

Address

City Council Chambers
60 Pleasant Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
United States
See map: Google Maps

CITY OF NEWBURYPORT

NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING

PLANNING BOARD AND

CITY COUNCIL PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

 

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 5 (The Zoning Act) and the Newburyport Zoning Ordinance, Section XXII-B (Adoption and Amendment), that the Newburyport Planning Board and City Council (acting through its Planning & Development Committee) will hold a Joint Public Hearing on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Newburyport City Hall, 60 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA 01950.

 

The purpose of this Public Hearing is to present, and hear testimony and comment from interested persons relative to, proposed amendments and additions to the Zoning Ordinance for the City of Newburyport, said amendments being submitted to the City Council for consideration on April 30, 2018.  After the Public Hearing the Planning Board and Planning & Development Committee will, as required by law, vote its recommendations on each proposal and report them back to the full City Council.

 

There are two (2) proposed ordinance amendments both of which address marijuana-related businesses.  A summary is provided below.  Copies of the full text of such ordinances and maps thereof are available for review by interested parties in the Offices of the City Clerk and Office of Planning & Development (City Hall, 60 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA 01950) during regular business hours.  Questions regarding these ordinances may be directed to the Director of Planning & Development, Andrew R. Port, at (978) 465-4400 x 1.

 

Summary of Proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments:

 

1:   Marijuana Businesses with Retail Sales – Amend the Newburyport Zoning Ordinance to:

  1. Establish new use categories for marijuana businesses, including but not limited to cultivation and retail sales of marijuana and marijuana-related products;
  2. Require a Special Permit from the Planning Board for all marijuana-related businesses in the City;
  3. Differentiate between marijuana businesses which:
    1. include retail sales and those that do not;
    2. are for medical and/or adult “recreational” marijuana;
  4. Allow marijuana businesses which include retail sales in the B-1 Business Districts surrounding Storey Ave and the Route One Traffic Circle;
  5. Allow medical marijuana businesses without retail sales (e.g. cultivation, research and development, etc.) within the I-1 and I-1B Industrial Districts (i.e. the Newburyport Business & Industry Park);
  6. Establish minimum standards and permitting procedures for all marijuana-related businesses.

 

2:   Marijuana Businesses without Retail Sales – Amend the Newburyport Zoning Ordinance to:

  1. Allow adult “recreational” marijuana businesses which do not include retail sales within the I-1 and I-1B Industrial Districts (i.e. the Newburyport Business & Industry Park);
  2. Eliminate the existing “Medical Marijuana Overlay District” within the Newburyport Business & Industry Park.

 

NEWBURYPORT PLANNING BOARD

Bonnie Sontag, Chair

Published 5/1/18 and 5/8/18 in the Newburyport Daily News