WRENTHAM — Residents at Monday’s fall town meeting approved a ban on recreational marijuana businesses.
They also merged special districts for medicinal marijuana and adult entertainment businesses.
A total of 82 voters turned out to the meeting at the high school, which only lasted about an hour.
Selectmen requested the prohibition of recreational marijuana businesses in town.
“It would prevent the sale of marijuana in convenience stores and other establishments,” Selectman Charles Kennedy said. “It doesn’t impact anyone who has marijuana plants in their home” as allowed by last year’s ballot question.
Only sale, distribution or cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes would be allowed.
Voters also agreed with the planning board to amend zoning by combining the medical marijuana and adult entertainment districts.
The adult entertainment district, which had been located in a commercial zone off Dedham Street (Route 1A) near the Norfolk line and that town’s industrial park, is being relocated to the medical marijuana district in the Cushing Drive/industrial park area off Dedham Street near Norfolk. An adult entertainment district is needed to prevent such businesses from opening anywhere in town.
“This would be the only spot medical marijuana and adult entertainment will be allowed,” planning board Vice Chairman Chuck Woodhams said.
The move of the adult entertainment district also frees up 24 acres off Dedham Street to be developed into a senior living community.
Residents at town meeting backed a request by the landowner and planning board for the rezoning of that commercial property to allow for such housing there by a special permit.
The planning board cited the need for senior housing and no impact on schools.
Yet another request concerning marijuana, also from the planning board, temporarily bans recreational marijuana businesses — at least until Nov. 30, 2018.
The other articles “cover us if the ban is not allowed to be enforced,” Kennedy said.
Residents appropriated another $289,175 toward this fiscal year’s budget, including about $122,000 for the King Philip Regional School District to meet the budget approved last spring by Norfolk and Plainville.
Voters also increased the salary range of the town administrator from $100,000 to $150,000 to $135,000 to $180,000.
“It is hoped with the increased salary range, we get a higher caliber of experienced” candidates, said Andrea Sweed, chairwoman of the finance committee and town administrator search committee.
Applications for the second round of the search are already pouring in.
“We seem to have a deeper pool of candidates,” selectmen Chairman Jerry McGovern said, adding it is hoped an administrator will be hired by mid-January.
In other business, voters fully funded contracts for clerks, DPW workers, and firefighters.
credit:thesunchronicle.com