Montville will allow a second cannabis store
Apr. 24—MONTVILLE — The Planning and Zoning Commission passed regulations on Tuesday that will allow a second retail cannabis establishment to come into town ― but only in the Chesterfield area, about a half-mile from the Dinosaur Place.
The commissioners' 6-0 vote marks the end of a year-long moratorium that prohibited any retail or hybrid retail establishments from opening here. The commission had sought the moratorium to give it time to thoroughly research permanent regulations on retail and hybrid-retail cannabis establishments.
That moratorium will expire April 30. The new zoning rules, which allow two cannabis retailers in town, will now go into affect April 29, at midnight. Those rules include specific locations where a new cannabis retailer could be sited.
Economic Development Commissioner Meracus Hernandez, the only one to speak during the public hearing on the regulations, said the zone will allow Montville to capitalize on the "booming" cannabis industry.
"Montville needs a dispensary in the Route 85 area to draw business from Waterford, Salem and Colchester," he said. "We need to act quickly before towns take advantage of this tax opportunity."
Hernandez said at the development commission's last meeting, Mayor Leonard Bunnell proposed the idea of using Route 163 as a divider, with one cannabis establishment on each side.
That's what the planning and zoning commission ended up approving Tuesday, but with stricter rules for where a retailer could locate.
The new zoning text amendment, 24ZC1, approved by the commission designates two zones ― one on the west side and one on the east side of town ― where a cannabis retailer, hybrid retailer or medical facility will be allowed to operate.
The east zone is comprised of six parcels that total 8.9 acres. That zone is already occupied by the Botanist on Route 32, a hybrid-retail facility that was one of the first in the region to transition from medical-only sales last January.
Meanwhile, the west zone is located in Chesterfield, and combines 11 parcels that total 8.5 acres. Those parcels are on both sides of Route 85, just south of the Grassy Hill Road-Chesterfield Road intersection. Across the street is the Chesterfield Fire Company, and about a half-mile down Route 85 is the Dinosaur Place.
Town planner Matt Davis said the regulations require any cannabis establishment there to have a minimum lot size of 60,000 square feet, or about 1.38 acres.
Right now, only one of the parcels that make up the west site has an area more than that. If the retailer could not obtain that particular parcel it would need to combine at least two of the others, and meet other zoning requirements.
