The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) just ruled in favor of the Town of Bourne to defeat a marijuana retailer, grower, manufacturer’s efforts to establish a business within the city limits.
Over the past five years, The Haven Center has tried to get its facility open for business, but was foiled by citizens who approved amendment 14 in 2018 as a general amendment to the city’s bylaws. Subsequent efforts by The Haven Center focused on Massachusetts state rules that prohibited municipalities from taking certain zoning actions against marijuana businesses.
The SJC ultimately ruled that the bylaw amendment did not involve zoning and therefore Amendment 14 was valid. Since the case only referenced state law, it is final.