medical marijuana

Marijuana is weighed and packaged for sale at the Northwest Patient Resource Center medical marijuana dispensary in Seattle in this file photo. The Springfield City Council on Monday approved a zoning ordinance that will require any proposed medical marijuana facility in Springfield to obtain a local special permit and follow numerous regulations.

(Photo by Ted S. Warren / Associated Press [file])

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council on Monday approved a zoning ordinance that will require any proposed medical marijuana facility in Springfield to obtain a local special permit and follow numerous regulations.



The zoning ordinance was approved in a 9-1 vote.

Councilor Clodovaldo Concepcion cast the sole "no" vote at Monday's hearing, saying he has concerns about crime and how such a business would be controlled.

Clodovaldo Concepcion

"I will not vote for that today or 100 years from now," Concepcion said.



Under the approved Springfield ordinance, any medical marijuana center in Springfield must obtain a special permit from the council after a public hearing and must be located within an Industrial A zone. In addition, the centers cannot be located within 500 feet of a residence and must be at least 500 feet from any school, child care center or any other site where "children commonly congregate."

"It's critical that we have protections for the community in place regarding these facilities," Council President Michael Fenton said following the vote. "When it comes up, we will debate them on a case-by-case basis."



On Jan. 31, the state Department of Public Health awarded 20 licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries in Massachusetts, including two in Western Massachusetts in Holyoke and Northampton. There was one application for a license in Springfield at an unspecified location, but it did not obtain state approval.



The city, however, moved forward with its zoning regulations to be ready for any future applications, officials said. Springfield had a moratorium on the marijuana facilities since November, to allow time to draft and approve the local regulations.



The ordinance approved on Monday is for both marijuana distributors and for any growing facility.



It also requires any developer to submit a detailed security plan to the city, to provide contact information to various city departments that would be monitoring the operation, and to submit annual reports to the city. Permits can be revoked if there are violations of the regulations.



The city's Planning Department drafted Springfield's ordinance, largely relying on "model" regulations provided by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, as sought by several area communities, said Philip Dromey, the city's deputy director of planning.



Dromey spoke in support of passage of the ordinance, saying it was important to add the city regulations to state regulations. The Planning Board recommended approval in January.



No other residents spoke in favor or in opposition at Monday's hearing..



State licenses were granted to Debilitating Medical Condition Treatment Centers in Holyoke, run by Dr. Samuel Mazza, and the New England Treatment Access in Northampton, run by Kevin Fisher.



Springfield's ordinance was drafted "in such a way to ensure the health, safety, and general well-being of the public as well as patients seeking treatment," the ordinance states.



In November 2012, Massachusetts voters approved a law to allow medical marijuana dispensaries, permitting no more than five facilities in each county.



Dromey presented a large map of the city that showed areas that have Industrial A zones, while also being at least 500 feet away from homes and schools. Ward 8 Councilor Orlando Ramos raised concerns about one street in his ward in an Industrial A zone where houses are in the vicinity, but was told by Dromey that the council has the power to deny a permit if deemed encroaching on residences.