With the action by the council at its March 14 meeting, Riga cleared perhaps the most critical obstacle on his way to becoming the first licensed cannabis manufacturer in Montclair. The requirements remaining in front of him are receiving a conditional use permit from the Planning Board and a license from the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
Seven retail companies are competing for two additional licenses to sell recreational (or adult use) cannabis. Two companies are vying for a single license to grow cannabis.
Generally, in the screening process, a company gets green-lighted by the Planning Board before the council decides between competitors. But because Riga has no competition, the council decided to address his application first, Councilor-at-Large Peter Yacobellis said.
Riga’s company – TLEHL Inc. – comes with a bit of an awkward name that acknowledges a new day in the cannabis industry. It stands for “The Legal Eagle Has Landed.”