{"id":2100,"date":"2021-10-31T11:04:16","date_gmt":"2021-10-31T11:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/CAIiEAPKghd0pj1yr_RxrV35zqIqGQgEKhAIACoHCAownuf9CjC99vUCMM-72gU"},"modified":"2021-10-31T11:04:16","modified_gmt":"2021-10-31T11:04:16","slug":"shoreline-towns-use-moratoriums-ordinances-to-keep-cannabis-establishments-out-new-haven-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=2100","title":{"rendered":"Shoreline towns use moratoriums, ordinances to keep cannabis establishments out – New Haven Register"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Despite recreational cannabis becoming legal for adults in Connecticut earlier this summer and setting a timeline for cannabis retail sales to begin by the end of 2022, multiple shoreline towns have taken legislative action to temporarily \u2014 or in Clinton\u2019s case, permanently \u2014 prohibit cannabis establishments.<\/p>\n

Guilford, Madison and North Branford recently enacted moratoriums preventing cannabis establishments from opening in town for nine months to a year from now. Clinton, meanwhilem, passed an ordinance prohibiting cannabis-related land use<\/a>, making it unlawful for any building, structure or land to be used as a cannabis establishment, producer, retailer, dispensary and more.<\/p>\n

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A cannabis establishment, according to Public Act 21-1<\/a>, is defined a producer, dispensary, cultivator, micro-cultivator, retailer, hybrid retailer, food and beverage manufacturer, product manufacturer, product packager and delivery service or transporter.<\/p>\n

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Clinton\u2019s Town Manager Karl Kilduff wrote in an email Thursday that the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing in September on a regulation drafted to allow a marijuana establishment as defined in state statute.<\/p>\n

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According to state law<\/a>, local officials can control the number and locations of cannabis retailers through zoning and can determine where smoking and vaping is allowed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe public hearing saw overwhelming opposition to the proposed regulation and the Planning & Zoning Commission subsequently rejected the regulation allow for marijuana establishments,\u201d Kilduff wrote.<\/p>\n

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At the hearing, 15 of the 17 people who spoke opposed the regulation allowing establishments, including David Melillo, director of Clinton Human Services, and Vincent DeMaio, Clinton\u2019s police chief. Only one person felt neutral and one was in favor of allowing establishments.<\/p>\n

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DeMaio said he had a number of public safety concerns attached to the regulation, including the \u201csevere black market\u201d he said recreational cannabis would create. He cited a recent $100 million bailout California gave to the legal cannabis industry because of it is having a hard time competing with the black market, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is going to come to our town because I\u2019m sure Madison is not gonna have one, Guilford is not going to have one, Westbrook\u2019s probably not going to have one,\u201d DeMaio said about cannabis establishments. \u201cWe would be the sole town on the shoreline.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Town Council then discussed the topic and its own authority under state statute to pass a local ordinance before drafting one and holding a public hearing, Kilduff wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Council\u2019s public hearing saw strong support for the ordinance that would ban marijuana establishments as a land use,\u201d Kilduff wrote Thursday. \u201cThe ordinance was subsequently unanimously approved by the Town Council.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clinton\u2019s current zoning regulations also prohibit medical marijuana establishments.<\/p>\n

Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey wrote in an email Thursday that that town\u2019s moratorium allows for full community engagement and discussion.<\/p>\n

He wrote that Guilford\u2019s Developmental Assets for Youth <\/a>organization asked for a permanent ban, which the Board of Selectmen would not consider without getting a more informed set of decision criteria.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir request mentioned that such a ban would send message to the youth and their parents about the risks, particularly related to brain development with the use of cannabis,\u201d Hoey wrote Thursday.<\/p>\n

Paige Checci, a Guilford resident with a master\u2019s degree in medical cannabis science and therapeutics from the University of Maryland Baltimore, said she thinks the blanket moratorium denies opportunities to residents, especially entrepreneurs who want to apply for cannabis business licenses, in a recording of an Oct. 18 Board of Selectman meeting.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cA requirement to applying is local support and zoning approval and if this moratorium extends into the period of time when the Department of Consumer Protection begins accepting applications, Guilford may miss out on an opportunity to bring jobs and commerce to the community,\u201d Checci said in the meeting recording.<\/p>\n

Checci said she understood concerns from residents about retail but she specifically was talking about production, cultivation, manufacturing and business-to-business commerce.<\/p>\n

She suggested the PZC review each application on a case-by-case basis and go through a conditional or special use process.<\/p>\n