Garden City Votes To Ban Marijuana Sales In Village

GARDEN CITY, NY — The village's Board of Trustees voted 7-0 Thursday night to ban the sale of cannabis products within Garden City. However, the law could still be subject to a referendum from citizens. Trustee Louis Minuto was absent for the vote.

If the law goes into effect, it would ban the sale of cannabis products within the village. The village would also forfeit any tax revenue that would come from the sales. Residents would still be able to use recreational marijuana in their homes, but businesses in the village would not be able to sell it, nor would on-site consumption be allowed.

The law, however, is subject to a permissive referendum. That means that if a petition signed by 20 percent of the registered voters as of the last village election signs a petition requesting it, the village would hold a referendum vote on adopting the law. The petition needs to be filed within 30 days. If not, the law goes into effect at the end of the 30-day period.

When Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act earlier this year, a provision gave local governments the authority to opt-out of the sale of recreational marijuana within their boundaries. In doing so, they also forfeit the tax revenue that would come from the sale of marijuana.

While possession and use of marijuana is now legal, the sale of the substance is not expected to begin until 2022 or 2023.

According to the village, if the Town of Hempstead permitted marijuana sales, a sales tax of 3 percent of the sale would be split between the town and the village. The village would be able to spend the money however it wished.

The villages of Floral Park, Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Freeport, Lynbrook and Williston Park have all opted out of the sale of marijuana. The Town of Hempstead has not yet decided.

If the village government decides at a later date that it wants to opt in to the sale of marijuana, it would be allowed to do so.