Public hearing on Potsdam town law regulating cannabis shops is April 11
Mar. 15—POTSDAM — The Town Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed local law allowing cannabis retail stores and lounges within the town. The hearing will start at 6:30 p.m. April 11 in the town offices, 18 Elm St.
On Tuesday night, the board unanimously voted to schedule the hearing, with no discussion prior to the vote. After the hearing on April 11, the board will vote to formally codify the bill, which has to pass before any pot shop can open.
Under a section labeled "Findings," the bill says, "[t]he Town of Potsdam finds the orderly development of commercial business is essential to protecting the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the town. Businesses which cater to adults should be located and regulated in order to minimize the impact to residents."
The proposed law includes many restrictions on where, when and how cannabis establishments can operate, including a ban on consuming or burning cannabis inside of a dispensary.
It says marijuana establishments need to be in a permanent structure, rather than a trailer or converted shipping container, and can't be in a building with permanent or transitional housing. Hours of operation will be limited to 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the dispensaries can't be located within 500 feet of any school, daycare, or other place children congregate, like a playground, dance facility or sports arena. It also would limit pot shops from being within 500 feet of any chemical dependency rehab facility, house of worship, correctional facility, halfway house, or other commercial cannabis locations.
In addition to other state limits on marketing marijuana products, the proposed local law also restricts signage.
"No image depicting any part of a marijuana plant or any product or use of the marijuana plant shall be allowed on the sign," the town's bill says.
The former Olympia Sports on U.S. Route 11 is being eyed as a cannabis dispensary. Announcing that in January, Town Supervisor Ann M. Carvill said the store size won't change and the occupancy will be limited to 50 people.
It will be among the first 150 state-licensed pot shops under a social equity program. Those first 150 licenses will be drawn by lottery and given to former inmates who did time for cannabis. The majority will be in New York City. The north country region will get four of those 150 licenses. Under social equity, the state puts up the money to open the dispensary, and the social equity licensee has 10 years to pay it back.
