WILTON — The Planning Board met Thursday evening to continue reviewing ordinances that will be presented at the town meeting that was scheduled for June 15, but is currently postponed due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions posed by the state.

The still-working marijuana ordinance currently requires individuals that want to operate an adult-use or medical marijuana business to go through a three-step process with the town after obtaining state required licensing and a background check.

“Get your state approvals and then come to us,” code enforcement officer Charlie Lavin said during the online Zoom meeting.

The individual will have to sign the Planning Board’s application for business use permit, provide a site plan review checklist and attend a public hearing. Lastly, the individual will present documentation to the select board for review before acquiring a license with the town.

Initially, the ordinance required a background check in addition to the state’s, but this stipulation has since been removed.  Licensing for marijuana businesses will have to be renewed annually by the select board, a requirement that is also in place for liquor licenses.

The Planning Board will meet on Thursday, June 11, at 7 p.m. for a workshop to continue revising the marijuana ordinance.

Lavin announced that after taking public comments into consideration, he will be removing medical marijuana from the town’s educational, institutional and public uses category which would restrict retail marijuana businesses from operating in Wilton’s downtown village.

The board approved the addition of the watershed overlay zone into the town’s zoning maps and to incorporate the watershed overlay and resource protection into permitted use tables. This is in response to the Varnum Pond Watershed Protection Ordinance that was passed in a town meeting last fall to restrict development around Varnum Pond, Wilton’s source of drinking water.

The exploding target ordinance was also reviewed by the board which restricts the detonation of any device that would explode by impact from a firearm within Wilton’s town limits.

The board approved A&E Trading’s business use application for Amanda Harris to operate her former August-based buy and trade of new and used items store at her new 392 US 2 East location, adjacent to the Big Apple.

 

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