Cannabis Business Ordinance Approved By Eatontown Council

EATONTOWN, NJ – The Eatontown borough council approved an ordinance allowing most cannabis businesses into its borough during a special council meeting Thursday night.

According to the ordinance, there will be a total number of four cannabis retailers allowed in the borough, which includes the already operating Garden State Dispensary on Main Street. The ordinance also sets the cap of cannabis wholesalers, cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors at two of each type, save for delivery businesses, which isn’t permitted under the new ordinance.

The ordinance also sets zones in which these businesses can operate. Cannabis retailers can only operate on Route 36 and on Route 35 south of the Route 36 intersection and further than 1,000 feet from a school on either side of the street while any cannabis wholesalers, cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors must operate on Industrial Way west of Route 35.

Hugh Giordano, a representative of UFCW Local 152, which represents cannabis industry workers, thanked the council for passing the ordinance and bring more jobs to Eatontown.

“Eatontown is once again setting a trend,” Giordano said. “The UFCW thanks Eatontown and supports Eatontown going forward.”

The ordinance needed a minimum of four votes to pass because the planning board determined that the ordinance did not fit into the borough’s master plan, which was achieved with the only no vote coming from councilman Mark Eagan Jr.

In addition to the ordinance, the council also had to approve a resolution that explained the council’s reasoning for passing the ordinance even though it is inconsistent with the borough’s master plan.

Councilwoman Danielle Jones spoke at the end of the meeting about how the ordinance, while not perfect, is a good starting point as the borough enters this new type of commerce.

“I know everyone isn’t 100 percent happy (with the ordinance), but it's a good starting point,” Jones said.