{"id":3819,"date":"2022-01-20T22:33:10","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T22:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/CAIiEJ0qHPYGjqy19d5fC8WMBqkqGQgEKhAIACoHCAow8dv9CjDw5_UCMO_i1wU"},"modified":"2022-01-20T22:33:10","modified_gmt":"2022-01-20T22:33:10","slug":"stratford-may-seek-six-month-moratorium-on-pot-dispensaries-ctpost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=3819","title":{"rendered":"Stratford may seek six-month moratorium on pot dispensaries – CTPost"},"content":{"rendered":"
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STRATFORD \u2014 Stratford may become the latest town in the state to issue a temporary moratorium on recreational cannabis sales<\/a>, just weeks before the state is set to begin accepting applications for cannabis<\/a> sale licenses.<\/p>\n

The town Planning Commission, at its Jan. 18 meeting, voted to recommend a six-month moratorium to the Zoning Commission.<\/p>\n

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Town Planner Susmitha Attota said the reason is simple. Such businesses have never been legal before, so there\u2019s no blueprint on approving them. Thus, the commission is recommending a moratorium.<\/p>\n

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More cannabis coverage <\/p>\n

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\u201cOur Plan of Conservation and Development does not provide guidance for location of such facilities,\u201d she said. \u201cIf the town chooses to treat it like any other business, then obviously, the business zones can allow those. But regarding other details, the POCD does not have enough guidance.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Even as members discussed the moratorium, members also admitted it wouldn\u2019t have much an impact. If other towns allow pot sales, Stratford\u2019s restrictions would be ineffective and remove a potential revenue source for the town.<\/p>\n

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A temporary ban also wouldn\u2019t stop people from consuming marijuana that they had delivered, commission member William Boyd said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s kind of being done now. It has been done for last 20 plus years,\u201d he said. \u201cWe just didn\u2019t know it, so doesn\u2019t seem like that\u2019s too much of a difference anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alternate member Tami-Lyn Morse agreed the moratorium would have limited effect, and cost the town money.<\/p>\n

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\u201cStratford residents are going to purchase recreational marijuana,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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Sales estimates for dispensaries in the first year are up to $3 million, which would mean $90,000 in taxes for the town, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we let two in, (that\u2019s) close to $200,000,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n