From: "Kelley, Craig" <ckelley@cambridgema.gov> Date: June 12, 2019 at 11:15:57 AM EDT Subject: Update on Cannabis Business Permitting discussion
Hey Everyone:
The next Ordinance Committee meeting about the Cannabis Business Permitting ordinance will be on Thursday, 27 June at 3:30 PM at City Hall. The meeting notice is pasted below. As with previous meetings, it is likely to start with a review of where we are, followed by public comment and then a Council discussion as we try to finalize this proposal and get it to the full Council for Ordination.
I’ve attached a link, also at the end of this email, to the minutes from our last Ordinance Committee meeting on the subject. As you can see, this is a complicated issue, a newly emerging and potentially lucrative Massachusetts business in which no one really has a lot of experience or can claim perfect understanding. My hope is that we’ll get to the best place we think we can get to at this Committee meeting and then forward it to the Council for Ordination. Depending on timing and the possibility of a special Council meeting, that might happen by the end of July.
I do not think we’ll pass the perfect Ordinance because, among other challenges, we have to work within the confines of a less-than-perfect state regulatory program. Still, at this point I doubt we’d ever be able to make our ordinance much better without having learned from its implementation. I can’t say what other Councilors think as I am only allowed to talk to one other Councilor about this issue without violating the State’s Open Meeting Law requirements. Ordinances can be changed, of course, so if we realize we missed an opportunity or made a mistake, we can always fix it but that, as you might expect, is not always a simple or quick process.
Anyway, you’re welcome to come and speak at the Ordinance Committee meeting for either 3 or 5 minutes, depending on the crowd, and you can send emails to the entire Council at Council@Cambridgema.gov and to the City Clerk at PCrane@Cambridgema.gov for submission in the record.
Thanks a lot and have a great day.
Craig All emails to and from this City address should be considered to be subject to Massachusetts’s Public Records laws. To be removed from this list, click here. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone you think may be interested in it. Also, I have scheduled office hours in Central Square on Monday’s from 1-3 PM and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30 AM, but please email CKelley@Cambridgema.gov before coming to confirm before showing up.
Thursday, June 27, 2019 3:30 PM The Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing to continue discussions on a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code to add a new Chapter 5.50 entitled “Cannabis Business Permitting Ordinance.”
THIS HEARING WILL BE TELEVISED
(Sullivan Chamber)
. CRT 2019 #41 : A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Councillor Craig A. Kelley, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on May 9, 2019 to continue discussion on a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code by adding a new Chapter 5.50 entitled “Cannabis Business Permitting” Ordinance. REPORT ACCEPTED AND PLACED ON FILE 3 ORDERS ADOPTED BY AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF EIGHT MEMBERS