The Verona Township Council last week passed and ordinance banning all cannabis-related businesses in the municipality.
The ordinance does not mean that such commerce is permanently banned, but is actually a way for the township to buy some time and keep its options open while complying with the state of New Jersey's insistence that a municipality state its intention to opt in or out by Aug. 21.
"This is not the end, this is the beginning," Verona Township Manager Matt Cavallo said. "The state of New Jersey rushed and passed a law that gave municipaties a very short period of time in which to decide whether they wanted to retain local control of zoning for cannabis establishments, whether it be cultivators, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors (or) retailers within their own municipalities. They said, 'You have until August 21 to maintain your home rule that the municipal land use allows. If you decide to opt out, you could always opt back in. But, if you opt in, you're stuck for five years'."