Purpose and Scope
On August 11, 2022, Governor Charlie Baker signed S. 3096, An Act Relative to Equity in the Cannabis Industry, into law. The new law requires host municipalities to establish initial policies to promote equity in the cannabis industry no later than July 1, 2023, or be subject to monetary penalties. The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Committee (CCC) encourages cities and towns in Massachusetts to consider incentives for increased participation by social equity applicants in their local cannabis ecosystem.
Based on cannabis social equity best practices and guidance from the CCC, the Town of Williamstown adopts a set of policies to further promote equity for new qualifying social equity applicants seeking to establish businesses in Williamstown.
Applicability
The CCC Social Equity program provides training and technical assistance to applicants who have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs, marijuana prohibition, arrests, and incarceration and who meet certain income and residency requirements. The CC has established lists of certain certified applicants under its Social Equity Program or as Economic Empowered Priority Applicants. The Town of Williamstown Cannabis Social Equity Policies apply to “qualifying social equity applicants” which are defined as those that have been certified by the CCC as eligible to participate in the CCC Social Equity Program or are CCC Certified Economic Empowerment Priority Applicants.
The Town of Williamstown Cannabis Social Equity Policies
1. Williamstown currently has no limit on the number of Host Community Agreements (HCAs) and so will accept applications from qualifying social equity applicants at any time. In the event Williamstown establishes a cap on the number of HCAs, then to encourage greater participation by social equity applicants in Williamstown’s cannabis industry, when a HCA becomes available for new businesses, there will be an exclusive period of six months limiting the availability of the HCA to qualifying social equity applicants.
2. The Town of Williamstown will enhance marketing and outreach to potential qualifying social equity applicants by promoting available HCAs to the Cannabis Control Commissions’ social equity program, promoting on the Town’s website, and as part of any relevant Town economic development efforts.
3. The Town of Williamstown will provide permitting technical assistance for qualifying social equity applicants navigating the Town’s cannabis permitting process. The Planning Department will create a section of the Town’s website dedicated to providing guidance and resources for applicants. A municipal contact will be listed on the Town website and will work closely with qualifying social equity applicants in the permitting process from initial inquiry through the special permit and building permit process.
4. Wherever reasonably possible, the Town of Williamstown will reduce financial barriers and expedite and streamline the permitting for qualifying social equity applicants.