I write to urge the responsible Chesterfield public to take definitive action toward preserving Chesterfield’s rural splendor against the commercial cannabis enterprise proposal as is currently put forth in language that denies town ability to control, restrict, or otherwise manage any future post-operative impact upon existing natural resources, environment and quiet sense of community security and privacy that make it such a great place to live.
I was shocked at the recent meeting! Never have I ever before witnessed such literal advocacy for approving a highly subjective topic of both opinion and physical impact upon a community’s limited natural, local regulatory,and physical resources by any board member, let alone it’s chair, with so little regard for the elective process of the voting public who will ultimately determine Chesterfield’s future commercial cannabis future There was pitifully inadequate protection in terms of town and abutter rights, the by-law itself as well as environmental, and other legal enforcement measures.
As a past Planning Board member, ACLU activist, and yes on cannabis voter I encourage more voting residents to participate, witness and to weigh-in before active commercial operations are “weighing-in products” in light of recent national headline news of human trafficking, illegal “outside” cannabis trans-shipments and known residual chemical/fertilizer/groundwater contamination “grow” issues.
Added, yet totally absent assurances and consideration against the use of illegal labor as recently reported in national news along with armed security/transport issues must also be addressed within the scope of any proposals to assure safety where it presently enjoys relative salvation. Prior considerations and resolution of environmental impact by fertilizer heavy metals and other contamination/aquifer issues must also be inclusive and until such assurances are present I urge “no” on this by-law as sadly proposed at present.
My past vote was intended to keep 16-year-olds from a bad police record, not to create a cannabis cash accounting record within my community that leaves to someone else’s pocket at our potential expense! I certainly will vote “no” on this clearly lacking proposal in current form.
F. Doc LeDuc
Chesterfield