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Residents Approve Solar Bylaw, Marijuana Fine at Town Meeting

Holliston's town meeting concluded on Tuesday night.

 

Proposed by Holliston's Chief of Police, town residents voted "yes" on a bylaw at town meeting Tuesday night which creates a $300 fine for smoking marijuana in a public areas

Henry Lively, a Holliston High School student, took the podium in opposition to the measure, saying it contradicts Massachusetts' 2008 decision to decriminalize the drug. 

"I believe this proposed fine goes against the will of the voters," Lively said. 

Chief John Moore said the bylaw will serve a method of deterring marijuana smoking in public areas of town and elevate restrictions on pot consumption to those on tobacco. 

The article was passed 98-48. 

Later in the meeting, voters approved a bylaw which regulates commercial solar energy facilities in residential areas of town. 

Opponents of article 34 said it could hurt farmers looking to boost their land's revenue with solar panels. 

"Those solar panels are a revenue stream to help struggling farmers," Mary Greendale said. 

Geoffrey Zeamer, a member of the town's Planning Board, assured voters that large-scale solar arrays which supply energy directly to homes and farms would most likely be permitted under the bylaw. 

"You need laws like this so the town can have control," Thomas Gilbert, a supporter of the bylaw said. "We did everything we could to make sure people were here to vote."

Related Topics: Green Energy, Marijuana, Solar Farm, and Solar Panels

Farmer D

11:46 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Completely wrong:
"Geoffrey Zeamer, a member of the town's Planning Board, assured voters that large-scale solar arrays which supply energy directly to homes and farms would most likely be permitted under the bylaw"
Article 29 stated on the top of page 20:
"NOTE: Small scale solar energy systems intended for non-commercial, single residential or business use are permitted accessory uses per Section V-A."

What Mr. Zeamer said is wrong. This by-law says ALL large-scale solar arrays are now PROHIBITED on a farm.

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Geoffrey Zeamer

3:38 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A large-scale use in would requires a Use Variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals and a Site Plan Review from the Planning Board. If both of those are granted then the use would be allowed.

The only thing we are trying to REGULATE is turning farms INTO commercial power plants, which is NOT an agricultural use of the land.

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