Walpole Board of Health Sets April Public Hearing on Kratom Regulation

WALPOLE — March 3, 2026 — Walpole Board of Health advances draft Kratom regulation to an April 7 public hearing. The board voted 4-0 Tuesday to accept the updated draft regulation, which covers natural, semi-synthetic, synthetic, and derivative forms of Kratom, and to schedule a public hearing at its first April meeting to gather resident comment before formal adoption. The board also voted 4-0 to submit no objections to a MassDEP draft Recycling, Composting, and Conversion permit for Southridge Farm and Nursery on Main Street, noting the operation is not expanding from its existing footprint and that no complaints about the property have been received in at least 12 years. On a Conservation Commission referral for 111 Bullard Street, the board cleared a proposed single-family home, pool, and garage near Willet Pond while specifying that a private drinking water well permit must be obtained through the Board of Health before construction proceeds.