Oakland Council Approves Non-Retail Marijuana Businesses

OAKLAND, NJ — Cannabis businesses will be allowed in the FLOW towns, but no retailers have been approved.

The Oakland council unanimously approved a measure that would allow non-retail cannabis businesses to operate in the community by updating the town's zoning.

No businesses have applied in Oakland yet, according to NorthJersey.com, but the three ordinances look to establish what kinds of businesses are allowed in. Spoiler alert, cannabis retailers aren't included.

Indeed, the ordinances, as currently proposed, would allow for cultivation, distribution, wholesaling, delivery and manufacturing in a number of new zones where they would be allowed to operate. Nowhere in the ordinances does the borough account for new cannabis retailers.

Oakland officials passed three ordinances to amend three different pieces of the current cannabis rules:

• Zoning
• Taxes
• Licensing

Officials created the previous ordinance, which banned cannabis businesses, ahead of a state deadline to do so on Aug. 21, and they weren't alone.

Numerous community officials in the state chose to do so for a few reasons, not the least of which because they could amend the ordinance to allow cannabis businesses at any time.

Had officials decided to allow businesses prior to that August deadline, however, they would have to wait for five years to consider a ban.

Read more: Marijuana Is Legal In NJ. But Can Towns Still Ban It?