The application by Back Home Farm for an adult-use cannabis dispensary within an existing Mixed-Use Commercial Building zone in High Falls came back to the Marbletown Planning Board last week for final comments and approval, the latter of which was given. Back Home Farm mixes organic vegetable farming with a cannabis business.

Nadine Carney of Peak Engineering, who represented the applicant, noted that during the public hearing, people had spoken both against and in favor of the project. She noted there was a draft resolution and said the applicant was ready for the board to move on with a decision.

Chair Max Stratton brought up some questions regarding security. Will Leibee of Back Home Farm responded that Back Home had not thought of having a staff member carrying a Taser. He said that people entering the projected Back Home Shop will, as per state law, have their ID checked at the door and then must negotiate a rope barrier, as in a night club. “If somebody did try to rob us, us, us, well, the inventory room is a steel cage with a lock on it, so there’s nothing they could actually steal.”

Carney added that “most retail establishments today have their own security cameras.”

Stratton interjected, “But your business is all cash.”

Leibee disagreed. “No, [we also accept] debit cards, credit cards,” [Many dispensaries do accept debit cards, with an added fee.] He added that “We have a store phone, a landline phone.”

A panic button that would link directly to the police was suggested.

A board member said that Massachusetts has had legal cannabis for a long time and wondered if they had come up with "anything that can be done in these circumstances.”

Leibee responded that the use of an ID checker at the door, combined with the locked safe, the steel inventory room and security cameras is deterrent enough — no one in the shop needs to be armed.

The point was made that, “This is a legal product, so the town and planning boards have no authority to require further security beyond what any retail establishment has.”

“If the Office of Cannabis Management doesn’t require anything special then I don’t see why we should,” Stratton said.

Carney spoke up to point out, “Just as under-21s can’t buy liquor, here they can’t even go into the store.”

A discussion of water usage followed, and Carney explained that the total usage has anticipated water demand of 568 gallons a day. Leibee said, “I don’t actually see it being 568 a day.”

The limit is 625 gallons a day, and even with two businesses on the site it was judged to be most unlikely that that limit would be breached.

A question about lights came up. The windows of the shop will be blacked out, and no cannabis will be displayed, and the lights inside will be turned off when the store closes.

The board voted unanimously to approve the resolution and approve the application.