image description — The Planning Board voted to recommend passage of the new bylaw after a sparsely attended public hearing on Monday night.

Adams Planning Board Recommends Marijuana Bylaw

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
03:58AM / Tuesday, December 19, 2017Print Story | Email Story

ADAMS, Mass. — After a sparsely attended public hearing Monday, the Planning Board approved a newly crafted marijuana establishment bylaw.

"I have no questions ... I reviewed all of the changes and I am in agreement with them," Planner Sandra Moderski said. "I think it is a good draft."

The board made some final changes to the bylaw late last month and agreed that retailers can only locate in the downtown, or B-2 district, if they receive a special permit from the Planning Board. They can't be located closer than 250 feet from schools, day-care centers or other areas where minors commonly congregate and are the population primarily served by the facility.

An establishment can locate in the industrial park by right and unless it is an independent marijuana testing lab. In that case, it would need a special permit.

Interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan said the bylaw amendment would add a new section to the town's zoning bylaws.

"There are several bylaw sections that address location criteria, operation standards and the information necessary for the review by the Planning Board," she said.

When the board opened up the floor to the public the small crowd was silent.

Police Chief Richard Tarsa, who had strong opinions about the bylaw and where establishments should be located, was the only one to speak.

"I just want to compliment everyone involved ... this has been going on for several months leading up to tonight and there has been a lot of positive input and a lot of give and take on both sides," he said. "I think what is being presented this evening is a well-worded document."

Cesan said the amendment will still have to go before town meeting and that the Board of Selectmen plans to hold a special town meeting in late winter.

"I know there are some other outstanding minor things that would be good to get out of the way in February or March instead of waiting until June for the annual town meeting," she said.

Proposed Marijuana Bylaw for Town of Adams, Mass. by iBerkshires.com on Scribd

Tags: commercial zoning, marijuana,

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North Berkshire School Study Encouraging Stakeholders to Take Survey

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
07:22AM / Saturday, October 03, 2026

CHESHIRE, Mass. — The consultants behind the education study for North Berkshire are hoping for solid responses to its recently released survey.

The survey, released last week, can be found here.

"Our goal is somewhere between 5 and 10 percent overall survey responses, which is somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000 responses," project manager Jake Eberwein told the steering committee for the North Berkshire Educational Sustainability Study at Wednesday's meeting at Hoosac Valley High School.

This is the next phase of the study of secondary education in North County being undertaken through state funding and conducted by Berkshire Educational Consulting Group, Berk12.

"Our first phase was project awareness, and that was really our you know attempt to meet the school committees, select boards, and we wrapped that up this past Monday in Williamstown," Berk12 researcher Brendan Sheran said. "And certainly, we'll be doing more of that going back out probably in the midyear or springtime. But in terms of info gathering, really, the data collection — that's where we are now."

The community survey was launched through sharing on social media, the group's stakeholder list, the press, and the district partners, which are distributing it to educators, parents and students. The window is expected to close on Friday, Oct. 9, but Sheran said they can be flexible with the date.

The survey takes about seven to 10 minutes and is open to those in the Hoosac Valley Regional and Mount Greylock Regional school districts and in North Adams, Clarksburg, Florida and Savoy.

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