Before Sea Grass Group can finish its licensing to grow recreational marijuana, Woolwich voters need to amend the planning ordinance. A public hearing to discuss the changes will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1.

Town Administrator Kim Dalton said due to COVID-19 restrictions, seating in the hearing room is limited to 25 people. Others can participate remotely via Zoom; the town website has details. A referendum to consider the ordinance changes is set for Wednesday, March 17. Polling at the town office will take place from 10 to 5. Absentee ballots will be available Feb. 16.

Selectmen finalized the ordinance’s wording Jan. 27 after meeting remotely with the planning board and attorney Kristin Collins, who worked on the changes. The proposed amendments are intended to clarify the relationship between marijuana cultivation in the rural district, and businesses permitted as home occupations. The changes are needed before Christian Elie and Ted Ney of Sea Grass Group can get final licensing for their marijuana cultivation business as required by the town and state.

Elie and Ney requested conditional approval from selectmen to move forward with their agribusiness on Sam Moore Road. They told the board their greenhouse would be 7,000 square feet and set back 300 feet from the road. Sam Moore Road is off Route 127, about a 10-minute drive from Route 1. Their business will be strictly wholesale.

The proposed changes include adding agriculture, defining it as “indoor or outdoor production, keeping or maintenance, for sale or lease, of plants and/or animals, including but not limited to crops, dairy animals, livestock, and ornamental and greenhouse products.”

Another revision appears within the definition of home occupation. It states, “Agriculture shall be permitted without meeting the criteria for a home occupation, but may be subject to site plan review.”

There is also further clarification that marijuana cultivation facilities shall be “treated as agriculture.” Cultivation of cannabis is permitted in the town’s general purpose and rural zones but restricted from all lots fronting Nequasset Road, and within 1,000 feet of the lot boundaries of Woolwich Central and Chop Point schools.

A new provision that would have required marijuana cultivation buildings to be at least 1,000 feet from an abutting residence was removed, although, according Collins, the change would not have applied to Sea Grass. Sea Grass has already been through the town’s site review process and gotten approval from the planning board.

Selectmen said the 1000-foot setback could be revisited if enough residents feel it is warranted. Dalton noted the town attorney would be available at the public hearing to answer questions.

After the state issues a provisional license for cannabis cultivation, applicants have a year to get municipal approval for their business. Sea Grass Group said it needs the town’s approval by May or risks losing its provisional license.