{"id":1129,"date":"2021-09-14T21:45:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-14T21:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZWhvdXIuY29tL25ld3MvYXJ0aWNsZS9XZXN0cG9ydC1iYW5zLXJlY3JlYXRpb25hbC1tYXJpanVhbmEtYnVzaW5lc3Nlcy0xNjQ1OTI0MS5waHA_c3JjPW53a2hwZGVzZWNw0gEA"},"modified":"2021-09-14T21:45:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-14T21:45:00","slug":"westport-bans-recreational-marijuana-businesses-for-now-thehour-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=1129","title":{"rendered":"Westport bans recreational marijuana businesses – for now – Thehour.com"},"content":{"rendered":"
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WESTPORT \u2014 A temporary prohibition of any businesses in town related to the production and sale of recreational marijuana goes into effect Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The text amendment<\/a>, which was approved unanimously this month by the Planning and Zoning Commission, states that \u201call cannabis establishments, with the exception of medical dispensary facilities, are prohibited in all zoning districts in the Town of Westport.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The resolution was made in response to a state law<\/a>, which went into effect July 1, legalizing the possession and use of recreational marijuana for adults.<\/p>\n

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The law opens the door to retail sales as soon as next year, and municipalities are considering what stance they should take on these facilities.<\/p>\n

Planning and Zoning Commission chairwoman Danielle Dobin said the commission opted to temporarily prohibit these businesses because \u201cwe didn\u2019t have the information and time to properly explore this.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Since Westport is already home to a medical marijuana dispensary, Dobin believes there would be interest in opening businesses related to recreational marijuana. However, Dobin said, there are too many unanswered questions about the impact these businesses would have on the town.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOne of our most pressing issues in Westport is traffic,\u201d Dobin said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have exacerbated the problem. Many of those who used to commute into New York City are now working at home, she said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAll those cars that were in the now-empty train stations parking lots are now on the streets,\u201d Dobin said.<\/p>\n

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There were some concerns that adding a recreational marijuana business to town could worsen the problem, she said, particularly if Westport was the only town in the immediate area with such a businesses.<\/p>\n