Charlton Planning Board Rejects Proposed Marijuana Grow Facility
CHARLTON (CBS) - The Charlton Planning Board has rejected a proposed massive marijuana grow facility.
The board took questions from residents for several hours Wednesday night before voting against the project.
Valley Green Grow wants to build a nearly one million square foot cultivation facility on the site of an old orchard on Old Worcester Road.
"I think at the end of the day we want the right decision," said Valley Green Grow attorney Mike Rosen.
The company claims their facility would be state of the art and a leader in the industry by focusing on sustainability.
"They want to be in this industry for the long term and building a facility like this they feel they can ensure cost for long term and bring others into the industry," said Rosen.
The $100 million project would make it the biggest cannabis cultivation and processing plant in the country. Opponents say the pot farm would be too close to schools and neighborhoods and could cause a traffic problem.
"It's on the back side of my property over here," said Charlton resident Charles Legacy.
Legacy has lived on Old Worcester Road for 17 years. His backyard abuts the proposed site. He, like many of his neighbors, are concerned about the possible smell and traffic coming to their quiet street.
"Whether it going to be vehicles vans trucks there is going to be a lot of usage here," said Legacy.
The board will consider a new proposal from Valley Green Grow at their next meeting later this month. If the company gets the town's approval then, it would still need to get a license from the state and the Cannabis Control Commission.
