SOUTH RIVER–With an unanimous vote, the Borough Council adopted an ordinance allowing cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, wholesaler, distribution and delivery businesses within the municipality.
“I know this is something that has been tossed down from the state. Towns have either been rejecting it or approving it. By allowing this you are bringing in manufacturing, which is the largest tax revenue,” Councilman Peter Guindi said. “Now I know a lot of people have been questioning a lot of things about [this], but I could tell you that the state has a lot of rules. So, besides what the town may implement once this does come into our town, the state actually normally supersedes this, they have stricter rules and regulations.”
Even though the council has adopted this ordinance, Guindi said there is not going to be a storefront.
“This is just the beginning. I know there’s been a lot of other ideas such as dispensaries [and] I know our town has been against it due to several other issues but right now, we are taking small steps towards something big,” Guindi said.
The council approved and adopted an ordinance, which amended the municipal code, establishing the permitted cannabis class licenses within the borough on Aug. 9 during the council meeting.
The following classes of licenses are permitted to operate within the borough:
- Class one cannabis cultivator license, for facilities involved in growing and cultivating cannabis.
- Class two cannabis manufacturer license, for facilities involved in the manufacturing, preparation and packaging of cannabis items.
- Class three cannabis wholesaler license, for facilities involved in obtaining and selling cannabis items for later resale by other licenses.
- Class four cannabis distributor license, for businesses involved in transporting cannabis plants in bulk from one licensed cultivator to another licensed cultivator, or cannabis items in bulk from any type of licensed cannabis business to another.
- Class six cannabis delivery license, for business providing courier services for consumer purchases that are fulfilled by a licensed cannabis retailer in order to make deliveries of the purchases items to a consumer, and which service would include the ability of a consumer to make a purchase directly through the cannabis delivery service which would be presented by the delivery service for fulfillment by a retailer and then delivered to a consumer.
Class five cannabis retailer license for locations at which cannabis items and related supplies are sold to consumers are not permitted, according to the council agenda.
“They can do the manufacturing of it but there’s no retail. We are limiting to just two licenses once the state approves that application. So there will not be more than two licenses in town, and it’s got to be in a business, light industrial zone. You can’t go anywhere near residential zone or school zone,” Council President Tony Ciulla said.
The number of licenses permitted within the borough include:
- Class one, two total licenses.
- Class two, two total licenses.
- Class three, two total licenses.
- Class four, two total licenses.
- Class six, two total licenses.
This ordinance will take effect after second reading and publication as required by law, according to the council.
For more information, visit www.southrivernj.org/agendas/council/.