Town Marijuana Acceptance

Prior to the enaction of the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, & Marketplace Modernization Act in February, dozens of New Jersey towns had local ordinances prohibiting cannabis businesses from setting up shop in their town, and others, like Jersey City and Asbury Park, were openly hospitable and welcoming to them.

City officials have taken the first step toward possibly allowing marijuana sales by calling for a study of exactly where zoning would allow a dispensary.

This week, the council voted to authorize the city manager to look into what areas in the city would abide by the state’s guidelines regarding dispensary locations.

Councilman Joseph Delaney said council members felt it was important to look into the possibility, because the tax incentives would benefit the city.

Township officials are preparing a beacon to lure New Jersey’s forthcoming recreational marijuana industry.

A resolution that gained town council approval Wednesday night announces the town’s willingness to play host to marijuana retailers, growers, distributors and processors once state legislators establish rules for the recreational market approved by voters in November. The early signal of intent is likely to be coupled with new zoning regulations to restrict marijuana businesses to certain areas of the 80-square-mile community.

In a move that opens the possibility of a medical marijuana dispensary here, the township has written several letters of support for vendors who want to set up shop.

The letters do not commit the township to having a dispensary but instead help establish relationships with vendors who have expressed interest in the town, and who likely are looking not only for profitable locations but for local governments enthusiastic about having a dispensary.

Egg Harbor Township gave four companies letters of support for their applications to open medical cannabis facilities there during a special meeting Wednesday.

The deadline to apply to the state to compete for 24 new licenses is this month.

“This (the letter) is a small piece of the puzzle,” said Committeeman Frank Balles. “It would be great to have the ratable.”

A proposal from a Marlton company to open a medical marijuana growing and processing operation here now has official city support.

The City Commission on Tuesday night voted 5-0 in favor of sending a letter of recommendation on behalf of Garden State Releaf LLC to the New Jersey Department of Health.

The endorsement is based on a presentation from Garden State Releaf owners and representatives to the commission on Feb. 19, rather than a formal development plan. The company still would need to snag a state license in order to go ahead with its idea.

Already there are reports from a number of South Jersey communities that marijuana-related companies are trying to gauge the level of interest towns might have in getting involved in the industry. Several municipalities rightly have recognized this could become a hot-button issue and have formed committees to study the matter.

That’s a good move for a number of reasons.

However, the bill is in need of some major changes, according to South Orange Village President Sheena Collum and Maplewood Township Committee member Dean Dafis.

Authorized to speak on behalf of the entire Maplewood Township Committee, Dafis was one of about 70 individuals who presented testimony to the joint committee in Trenton on Monday.

The Mile Square City is set to get together Monday evening to figure out what will be going in and where if and when New Jersey lawmakers move ahead with recreational marijuana legalization.

New Jersey health officials are reviewing 146 applications to open up to six new medical marijuana dispensaries statewide.

Phillipsburg officials want one of them to be in town.

Town council last week passed a resolution calling residents' access to medical marijuana "challenged" and requesting the state give "strong consideration for those northwestern Delaware River communities like Phillipsburg" to get a dispensary license.