HOPKINTON — Voters in the community will have the final say on whether recreational marijuana sales and distribution businesses will be able to set up shop in town, and any such establishment would first need to obtain a special use zoning permit.
Members of the Hopkinton Town Council this week voted 4-1 to hold a referendum on the November ballot that will ask whether the community should allow the state to issue a license to any cannabis-related businesses in the Town of Hopkinton. Town councils in Hopkinton, Charlestown and Richmond have now all approved measures that will result in referendum questions being placed on the ballot this November.
Town Council President Stephen Moffitt Jr. voted in opposition and said he was not opposed to the referendum — he indicated that he was in support of asking the voters — but felt it was inappropriate to set further restrictions via special use permits if voters approve of such businesses. He said he felt having a referendum vote on zoning was already an opportunity that normally wouldn’t be afforded to residents.
“We wouldn’t allow them to vote on whether to allow a new CVS, and we are already stepping outside the process to allow (the referendum),” he said at Monday’s council meeting. “I am not sure a lot of people realize the ramifications this could have on finances and…
