Planning Board Reschedules Marijuana Cultivation Hearing After Administrative Error

HATFIELD — April 6, 2022 — Hatfield Planning Board postpones marijuana cultivation hearing to April 28 after a posting error voided proper public notice. The board voted unanimously to reschedule the Straits Road LLC cultivation hearing at 148 North Hatfield Road, originally set for April 6, after Chair Stephanie Slysz acknowledged the town had failed to publish the required two-week advance notices in the local newspaper. Several residents arrived at Town Hall unaware the hearing had been postponed, prompting apologies from Slysz and Alternate Chair James C. Tarr, who confirmed the error was entirely on the board's side and "has nothing to do with the applicant." The board also discussed a third consecutive annual request for $11,000 above its current budget to fund a part-time planner, with Slysz reporting the Finance Committee appeared receptive ahead of a potential Town Meeting vote.