NJ legal weed: How do NJ residents feel about a pot shop in their town?
We asked a handful of NJ residents how they feel about neighborhood marijuana dispensaries and legalized marijuana use. Here’s what they said.
Miguel Fernandez, NorthJersey.com
EATONTOWN – The owner of undeveloped property on Industrial Way West is seeking final site plan approval to build a facility for the cultivation and manufacturer of cannabis, or legal weed.
The property owner, Rita Ruggieri of Holmdel, wants to build a three-story, 8,190-square-foot building with a 16-space parking lot accessible from Industrial Way West. The property, block 3505, Lot 5, is triangular-shaped and lies adjacent to Route 18.
The property is a less than an acre and Ruggieri will need a variance because developers need a minimum lot area of four acres to build in the industrial zone. It is also deficient by over 100 feet in both the lot width and on one of the side set backs.
Ruggieri’s plan is scheduled for a public hearing before the Planning Board at 7 p.m. April 4.
Cannabis zones: Eatontown OKs up to 3 cannabis retailers, supporting industries
The cultivation and manufacturer of cannabis is a permitted use in the borough, which has been out front on both the medicinal and recreational cannabis business. It was the first town at the Shore to have a medical marijuana dispensary and last year adopted new zoning to permit up to three retail businesses to operate within its borders.
The new rules also allowed for supporting industries such as those involved in the cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale and distribution of recreational cannabis. Those businesses are regulated to Industrial Way only.
Earlier this year the borough endorsed the dispensary, Garden State Dispensary, to expand its operations to include retail recreational cannabis. The company has applied to the retail cannabis license from the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
Recreational cannabis sales haven’t begun yet in New Jersey. There was expectations among industry insiders that the Commission was going to vote last Thursday to allow a handful of medical facilities to start sales, however the idea was tabled.
NJ legal weed: Commission delays opening recreational marijuana sales
The commission’s executive director Jeff Brown said there wasn’t enough proof that there was enough cannabis under cultivation at the moment to meet the demand of both medical patients and potential recreational customers.
Brown estimated that there was about a 100,000-pound gap.
New Jersey voters approved adult recreational used of cannabis in November 2020. In February 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy approved the legislation laying the groundwork for recreational cannabis.
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; [email protected].
