MONSON — Amending the town’s zoning code to allow local farmers with at least 50 acres of land to grow marijuana in greenhouses has divided Planning Board members.

The matter will come up again next week, when a Special Town Meeting will decide whether or not to adopt the zoning amendment.

Following Monday night’s hour-long public hearing, the Planning Board had the option to recommend in favor or against changes to the zoning code, or make no recommendation to Town Meeting at all.

After a trio of tied 2-to-2 votes on motions to make no recommendation to Town Meeting, support the zoning change, or recommend against adoption, it appeared the Planning Board would end up making no recommendation by default. But a fourth vote, to recommend against the bylaw, passed by a 3-to-1 vote.

Resident Jessica Allen collected 111 signatures to place the greenhouse cultivation zoning amendment on the Town Meeting warrant – that would permit those owning at least 50 acres to cultivate the drug in land zoned rural residential.

According to Allen, about 70 property owners in town have that much land, but only about half of them would meet all the criteria, should they wish to cultivate marijuana on their property inside a greenhouse. The greenhouse cannot measure more than 10,000 square feet, and she said the bylaw change allows those eligible to also construct a side building of no more than 5,000 square feet.

The change requires that no greenhouse can be in view of other property owners, and if odors from the plants migrate off-site, they must be mitigated, otherwise growing would be halted, via an order of the municipal zoning enforcement officer.

“We are solely focuses on craft cooperative licenses” that would be issued by the state Cannabis Control Commission, Allen said.

The CCC cannot issue licenses to allow greenhouse cultivation in a municipality absent local zoning rules that would allow it, she said, adding that the zoning amendment would do nothing to change bylaws that currently do not allow any retail marijuana sales shops in Monson.

She said the local zoning change would give local growers a chance to compete against the better financed large corporate interests that Allen said are dominating the evolving marijuana industry.

Resident Robert Kaddy spoke against the idea, saying it would create crime, require more police officers to be hired, encourage youth to take drugs and create odors some find unpleasant.

“We are looking at a dangerous operation here. It is a mind altering drug. . . because of the crime, we are going to have to (add) five police officers” to the force, said Kaddy, adding “We are sending the wrong message to young people.”

Allen’s brother, James Bailey told the board it was irresponsible of Kaddy to assert there would be a crime wave requiring hiring additional officers — calling his statements “propaganda.”

Bailey said two-person households already are legally growing up to a dozen plants and no “chaos” has come to town.

Kevin Haley, who chaired the Planning Board meeting, voted not to recommend that Town Meeting approve the idea.

Haley said he could be inclined to support it — if the bylaw amendment said a special permit from the board would be required for a farmer to build a greenhouse and grow marijuana.

The language in the citizens petition says cultivating would be allowed “by right,” subject to site plan approval, in addition to complying with Cannabis Control Commission regulations.

Allen told Haley that the municipality allowed a medical marijuana growing facility, from out of town, into the community, and that zoning which the Planning Board recommended allowed that business to operate “by right” without need of a special permit.

“It’s time for the farmers in town to have a chance for this. I don’t want to see the Planning Board stand in the way," board member Tara Hengeveld said during the meeting.

When the 3-1 vote recommending against the idea was finally cast, only board member Karen King opposed it.

The majority said more clarity is needed, including whether or not a local farmer would be able to lease his or her land to another entity wanting to grow, and how far away from a licensed daycare center a greenhouse must be.

Marilyn Fils Gorman along with Haley said a special permit should be required.

Monson’s Special Town Meeting on Monday, Nov. 4, at Granite Valley Middle School on 21 Thompson St., begins at 7 p.m