Littleton Planning Board Opens Hearing on Cannabis Cultivation Limits, Eyes Town Meeting

LITTLETON — July 11, 2024 — Littleton Planning Board opens hearing on cannabis cultivation limits, eyes October town meeting. The board convened Thursday, July 11, and held its first public hearing on amendments to Articles 27 and 28 of the town's zoning bylaw that would consolidate separate medical and adult-use marijuana regulations into one updated bylaw and cap — or outright prohibit — new cultivation facilities in town. Town Counsel Tom Harrington, substituting for lead cannabis attorney Ivria Glass, advised that eliminating adult-use cultivation requires both a two-thirds town meeting vote and a simple-majority public ballot, likely at the May 2025 annual election, while the regulatory cleanup and consolidation can be done by town meeting alone. "For me, the goal is to ultimately get to zero," said one board member, referring to the number of cultivation licenses in town. "If they do cease to do business, that's it — there are no other licenses to be had." The board also unanimously approved an Approval Not Required lot-line adjustment for a property swap at 65 Bruce Street and deferred action on Strawberry Farms subdivision Mylars and a covenant after members said the covenant arrived too late that day for adequate review; both items return August 1.