A township-based hydroponic grower of leafy greens that supplies products to ShopRite and other tri-state markets is moving out to make way for a very different type of leafy green: cannabis.
Despite the opposition, the commission did approve a second marijuana cultivation site in Lafayette for Harmony Foundation of New Jersey, which currently grows and dispenses medical cannabis in Secaucus. The company also has planned to open two additional dispensaries in Hoboken and Jersey City, which could draw customers from New York.
A medical marijuana company based in Secaucus has begun site work on its new growing and processing facility in Lafayette more than a year after township officials approved the plan.
Harmony Foundation of New Jersey CEO Shaya Brodchandel said the company started work in January on the Route 94 property. In recent weeks work began on the former site of the Schering-Plough complex and signs appeared near the front entrance as evidence of activity.
Harmony Foundation’s proposal to build a medical marijuana facility on Route 94 in Lafayette is on hold until the land purchase is completed. In late May, Lafayette’s land use board approved a 30,000-plus-square-foot addition to the facility on the site plan. “As far as I know, Harmony hasn’t yet closed on the property yet,” said land use secretary Stephanie Pizzulo. Harmony Foundation is based in Secaucus, N.J., and has a dispensary there.
A medical marijuana growing and processing facility yet to be built on Route 94 has grown by approximately 30,000 square feet.
The Township Land Use Board, at its virtual meeting Thursday, unanimously approved the expansion for room to install HVAC equipment inside the building and to provide adequate space for mechanical equipment in utility rooms. The changes increase the size of the building across two stories from 381,548 square feet to 411,176 square feet.
Following roughly three hours of testimony and questioning, the Township Land Use Board unanimously approved plans allowing an established medical marijuana company to operate a growing and processing facility on Route 94.
The public got a first look Thursday at the plans a marijuana-growing operation proposed to replace most of the buildings at the old Schering-Plough complex on Route 94 and Morris Farm Road.
Less than 20 acres of the 132-acre site will be developed according to engineer Owen Dykstra. The first building to go up will be about 338,000 square feet, he said, with a second building of about 22,000 square feet, included in phase one of the planned project.
Submitted by njlegalizeme on Sun, 09/09/2018 - 21:31