While New Jersey residents voted to legalize recreational marijuana last November, the state is still in the process of rolling out its legal distribution regulations. All municipalities have until August 21 to pass any desired local rules and Jersey City’s planning board approved new zoning governing cannabis businesses during their June 22 meeting.
The zoning would allow five types of cannabis uses in Jersey City; cultivator, manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, and retailer. Delivery-based businesses are not allowed under the regulations and all prospective cannabis companies would be subject to a $2,500 fee when applying to operate in the city.
The regulations do not place a limit on how many cannabis businesses can operate in Jersey City, but they do restrict them to certain zones. In terms of retail locations, cannabis business will be allowed in areas zoned for Neighborhood Commercial (NC), Commercial/Automotive (C/A), Highway Commercial (HC), Waterfront Planned Development (WPD), Central Business District (CBD), and Office/Residential (O/R).
In addition, pot dispensaries can apply to open in any district, zone, overlay, or subdistrict of a Redevelopment Plan where retail is a permitted principal use. Cannabis retail is also allowed within the Palisade Avenue Mixed-Use Multi-Family Attached Housing District (R-2D).