“Shucked” sounds as though it will be a hokey, silly show, but instead it turns out to be a remarkably charming two and a half hours of light musical theater.
If the permit is denied, Fulcrum could tie the town up in prolonged and expensive litigation. Or a vengeful Fulcrum could return with a different proposal -- perhaps one that is equally objectionable and does not require a special permit.
When selectboard Chair Steve Bannon opened the floor to comments from the audience, most seemed to agree that, in addition to placing restrictions on the stores, the larger question remains about what kind of image the tourism-minded town wants to project.
Fulcrum attorney Kate McCormick indicated that there were delays in the studies required of the applicant on sound, noise and odor and the peer reviews of those studies by the town.
The proposal, first made public in September, has alarmed residents of the neighborhood, whose concerns range from noise and odors to the effect of the Fulcrum project on property values and the aforementioned impact on the water supply.
In a letter to the editor John Beacco Jr. of Lee writes: “A board as important as health should not have its input dismissed regarding any issue because of a technicality.”
At Monday's Great Barrington Selectboard meeting at the Claire Teague Senior Center, concerns ranged from traffic, speeding, and the impact the closure of the Division Street and Cottage Street bridges are having on businesses and residents alike.
Our town voted to legally allow the growing and selling of marijuana, and the feelings of a small percentage of our population should not trump the actual vote that created our legal guidelines for action.
The fact is that the people of Massachusetts, and specifically of Great Barrington, voted in statewide referendum to allow this operation. We don’t necessarily learn about the downsides until the moment of truth is upon us.
In a letter to the editor, John Beacco writes, 'Restricting itself to the text of the bylaw and avoiding its social, economic and moral implications is expedient and not at all helpful to those living near the proposed project, or the selectboard that is charged as the special permit-granting authority.'
“We can’t make a judgment on the social or economic merits of this project. That’s the job of the Selectboard. But the application does meet the requirements of our zoning bylaws.”
-- Great Barrington Planning Board Vice Chair Malcolm Fick
Fulcrum has signed a purchase-and-sales agreement to buy 5.78 undeveloped acres from the Nolan family at 22 Van Deusenville Road to construct and operate a cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility.
The solar field below the Rising Paper Mill in Housatonic, built last year on a brownfield, is saving the town and the Berkshire Hills Regional School District each between $70,000 and $90,000 in annual electricity costs.
