SAUGUS — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday discussed the procedures the town is seeking to set regarding applications for marijuana licenses, after the attorney general’s office signed off on an amendment to town bylaws allowing for the sale of recreational marijuana approved by Town Meeting earlier this year.
The decision by the attorney general’s office, dated Nov. 4, is posted in Town Hall and explains that the office only denies changes to bylaws if they conflict with state law.
Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano said the way the bylaw is written currently, applicants would first have to meet with Town Manager Scott Crabtree before formally applying for a license through the board.
Crabtree said he was going to reach out to other communities in the area to get an idea of best practices regarding the licensing process, with many neighboring communities having legalized the sale previously.
“I’m guessing that these other communities must have already done something like this so I’m going to reach out to my colleagues and see if there’s something out there,” he said.
The town will likely put together a Request for Information (RFI) prompting applicants to submit exact specifications for proposals, Crabtree said.
“They would have to present … the location, the size of the facility, what type of payment they’re going to have to the town and they’re going to have to submit that,” he said.
Cogliano said he had taken it upon himself to review the policies in Malden and Lynn and provided them to Board members as a model for Saugus to evaluate what might work for the town.
Crabtree said determining the exact process for licensing would take time.
“Obviously it won’t happen overnight,” he said.
Board member Michael Serino thanked Crabtree for the work he’s done so far and Cogliano noted it was a “good start.”
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
