OAKLAND — Council unanimously approved three ordinances Monday night that will allow non-retail cannabis businesses to locate in the borough’s industrial zones.
Ordinances 21-CODE-863, 872 and 873 were unanimously approved by council without any comment from the public.
Ordinance 863 defines the zones. Ordinance 872 sets out licensing regulations. Ordinance 873 establishes procedures for the 2% transfer taxes on those businesses.
The ordinances allow five types of business in four zones: cultivation, manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor and delivery. Only retail sales were not included.
No applicant has yet approached the borough about locating cannabis industries, according to Business Administrator Richard Kunze. The purpose was to have guidelines in place once applications are allowed to begin next year, he said.
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All New Jersey municipalities were required to reinstate cannabis bans nullified by Gov. Phil Murphy when he signed a series of bills legalizing marijuana industries – including retail sales – in February. Any municipality which did not reinstate bans could not do so for five years after the Aug. 21 deadline.
Oakland Council voted June 9 to ban all six classes of cannabis business, but Mayor Linda Schwager vetoed the vote, arguing for more time to assess the guidelines and possible tax benefits.
Council overrode Schwager’s veto June 23. But Schwager subsequently organized a committee to investigate the industry and make ordinance recommendations to council.
Schwager again expressed her thanks to the committee for their assistance.
“We spent many hours looking at this from both sides,” Schwager said Monday.
Marsha Stoltz is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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Twitter: @marsha_stoltz
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Oakland NJ approves ordinances allowing non-retail cannabis businesses
