Town Will Appeal Coakley's Medical Marijuana Ruling

The town will appeal a decision by Attorney General Martha Coakley overturning its bylaw aimed at zoning medical marijuana facilities out of Wakefield.

Meeting in an executive session at the start of Monday night's meeting, members of the Wakefield board of selectmen voted in favor of having Town Counsel Tom Mullen file the appeal.

Voters who attended the November Wakefield town meeting approved the zoning change against medical marijuana dispensaries by a 143-9 margin. On Election Night 2012, voters approved Question 3, the measure .

Earlier this month, Coakley announced that the Wakefield bylaw was incompatible with state law because it basically aims to overturn a measure that was enacted by the voters. At the same time, she announced that Burlington's moratorium on medical marijuana facilities was legally acceptable because it was temporary in nature.

Along with announcing the decision to proceed with an appeal of Coakley's decision overturning the bylaw, selectmen also voted to refer a proposed medical marijuana moratorium to the planning board. This moratorium would last until the end of June, 2014.

Voters in neighboring Lynnfield are also being asked to consider a moratorium that would last until the same time in 2014 or until the town has time to fully examine guidelines expected to come from the state in May on medical marijuana.