2nd Hearing Jan. 3rd On Lifting Medical Pot Ban In No. Branford

NORTH BRANFORD, CT – Town officials in North Branford will hold a second hearing on January 3rd on whether North Branford should consider joining the growing list of municipalities in state that allow a medical marijuana facility within its borders.

A one-year moratorium on marijuana producers and dispensaries in North Branford expired in June of this year.

At the December Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, zoners reviewed a text amendment which would allow Medical Marijuana Production Facility in Industrial Zones with an approved Special Use Permit and compliance with Special Standards.

Town Planner Carey Duques has been working on a proposed text amendment application regarding production and distribution of medical marijuana.

She has two draft applications, one for a production facility and one for a distribution facility, for the commission to review. The production facility draft has a definition and be a special use.

State Rep. Vincent Candelora, who was at the nesting, said he was concerned about the state regulations changing since the text amendment references the state regulations. He asked that the town keep this public hearing open for a couple of months.

At the PZC’s August meeting members discussed the footage requirements and where the measurement should be taken from.

Town Planner Duques said she will re-draft with the commissions’ comments and bring the final back to the commission.

Currently, there are more than 30,000 medical marijuana patients in the state, being served by dispensaries in nearby Branford, among others.

While the towns that have housed medical marijuana facilities have almost unanimously said the businesses have been good neighbors, the facilities have not been welcome everywhere.

In Guilford two years ago, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to to amend the zoning code and add a section banning medical marijuana dispensaries and production facilities in town.

While there was no immediate request to establish a dispensary in Guilford, the group Guilford Development Assets for Youth (DAY) had been pushing for a preemptive ban.

The program works to discourage young people from engaging in substance abuse and underage drinking, and teens affiliated with the program had appeared before the Guilford PZC to voice their opposition to the possibility of a dispensary here.

Photo by Jack Kramer