The West Hartford Town Council voted 6-3 along party lines to amend the town’s cannabis ordinance, now permitting an additional retailer while establishing a 5,000-foot buffer between retailers.
Adopted in May 2022, the current ordinance allowing adult-use cannabis sales was set to expire on June 30, 2024. Tuesday’s meeting saw a permanent revision that maintains the essence while refining specifics. Council’s decision enables up to three retail establishments in commercial zones (BN, BS, BG), excluding West Hartford Center, Blue Back Square, and Elmwood.
Town Manager Rick Ledwith clarified that the updated ordinance aligns measurement regulations with those applied to liquor stores. Existing retailers, BUDR and Sweetspot, reside roughly 1,100 feet apart and are grandfathered from the new buffer rule.
Republican Mary Fay questioned why Bishops Corner remained a permissible zone. Ledwith responded that it offers further separation from current retailers. While some zones like West Hartford Center are notably close to municipal buildings, making them ineligible, Bishops Corner provides a feasible alternative.
Concerns about cannabis odor and the impact on public spaces were raised by zoning alternate Burke Doar. Ledwith confirmed that the ordinance continues to restrict producer locations to industrial zones, without limiting producer count.
Democrat Carol Blanks observed brisk business at one retailer, suggesting need fulfillment across town. Conversely, Republican Mark Zydanowicz felt historical data on current regulations wasn’t substantial enough to justify additional retailers.
Ultimately, Mayor Shari Cantor acknowledged cannabis’s dual nature as both a product of relief and potential nuisance. The Council’s revised approach, emphasizing scaled expansion and substantial buffer zones, aims at balancing business potential with community interests.
For more details on West Hartford’s updated cannabis ordinance, read the original article by Ronni Newton on we-ha.com.
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