City officials are looking to expand Paterson’s cannabis industry, partly by eliminating a local law that bans retail marijuana stores from operating within 300 feet of homes.
Under the proposed change, the city also would reduce the distance requirement for marijuana stores regarding churches and schools from 300 feet to 200 feet. Moreover, the city would increase the number of retail cannabis licenses in Paterson from three to six.
What comes next?
The City Council gave preliminary approval to those changes on July 18 and is planning to hold a public hearing and take a final vote on the issue on Aug. 15.
At present, Paterson has just one cannabis business — the RISE dispensary off Route 20, which opened as a medical marijuana site in December 2019 and expanded to begin selling recreational pot in April 2022.