The Parsippany council initially favored a complete ban of all six classes of licenses the state is expected to issue, or be forced by statutory default to approve cultivation, manufacturing, wholesaling, distribution, retail sales and delivery of recreational cannabis for at least five years.
But sensing an opportunity to fill some of the excess commercial office and warehouse space in town, the council on Tuesday opted to cherry-pick their choices and allow Class 3 wholesaling and Class 4 distribution licenses.
"Parsippany is basically the crossroads of northern New Jersey," Council President Michael dePierro said. "Every highway cuts through Parsippany. So I can envision warehousing wanting to be here even if we don't have dispensaries because they can get here from anywhere and go anywhere from here."
Township planner Susan Favate's presentation at Tuesday's council meeting included a map of the commercial-industrial areas of town pinpointed by the Parsippany Cannabis Working Group to target for cannabis wholesaling and distribution in an effort to isolate it from residential areas, schools and parks.
One zone runs along the Edwards Road-New Road corridor on the east side of the township. Another falls in the commercially zoned corridor along Jefferson and Pomery roads near Route 287.