Hatfield Planning Board Delays Cannabis Hearing as Engineer Falls Ill

HATFIELD — April 26, 2022 — Hatfield Planning Board postpones cannabis cultivation hearing for the second time after engineer misses meeting. The board voted unanimously at its April 26 meeting to continue a public hearing on a special permit application by Straits Road LLC, which is seeking approval for outdoor and greenhouse marijuana cultivation at 140A North Hatfield Road. Lead engineer Chris Chamberlain of Berkshire Design Group was too ill to attend, and applicant Bernie Smarowski declined to substitute a less-informed colleague. Several North Hatfield Road residents who attended for the second time pushed back, with one telling the board, "there's something that stinks and it's not marijuana." Chair Stephanie Slysz defended the one-week continuation to May 4 as legally proper and told attendees that written testimony submitted to the board's administrative assistant would be read into the record.