New ordinance is in the works in Northfield
Editor’s note: Multiple communities, including Ocean City, Upper Township, Sea Isle City, Linwood and Somers Point have banned marijuana businesses. Northfield is considering allowing cannabis businesses.
NORTHFIELD — A draft ordinance of a new proposal to allow cannabis businesses to operate along a section of Tilton Road is expected to be ready for discussion during City Council’s next meeting Nov. 9.
Councilwoman Barbara Madden asked for an update Oct. 26 in the months-long process, which has involved extensive debate and multiple votes.
Every municipality in the state faced a deadline of Aug. 21 to permit, prohibit or otherwise limit cannabis businesses or be stuck with what the state guidelines allow for the next five years, with those that opened during that time able to continue despite possible later restrictions.
City Council voted 3-3 with one abstention Aug. 15 to prohibit the businesses, with Mayor Erland Chau casting the deciding vote. Discussion at the time indicated the issue would be revisited after the state released its rules and regulations governing the industry.
New Jersey voters approved a ballot question in November 2020, with 67 percent statewide approving the decriminalization of marijuana possession and consumption and creating six types of businesses permitted to operate. Gov. Phil Murphy signed the measure into law. Seventy percent of Northfield voters approved the ballot question.
The types of licenses permitted are cultivator, manufacturer and retailer, on which municipalities may enact a local tax of as much as 2 percent, and wholesaler, on which cities can charge as much as a 1 percent tax. The final two types are distributor and delivery.
Council had introduced two ordinances, one to prohibit and one to allow the businesses, so that a final vote could be held on either one ahead of the state deadline. That also would have allowed City Council to permit the businesses with just one vote.
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission voted to approve its guidelines Aug. 19. On Sept. 14, Councilman Frank Perri moved to approve ordinance 7-2021, which would allow the businesses in the city’s Regional Commercial Zone on Tilton Road, from Deborah Avenue to the border with Egg Harbor Township. However, fellow supporter Councilman Paul Utts wanted to address some issues he felt needed to be included, such as the hours of operation, the number of facilities, the types of facilities and the licensing fees. Utts also suggested adding cultivator to the allowable license types.
“I don’t know if we should proceed with the ordinance without including these items,” Utts said at the time, noting Atlantic City and Egg Harbor Township set their licensing fee at $25,000 and $10,000, respectively.
Council President Tom Polistina suggested a subcommittee revisit the ordinance. Polistina, Utts and Perri formed the new subcommittee to discuss the amendments after Councilman Greg Dewees said he did not want to take part.
The issue was then tabled.
On Oct. 26, Utts said since the Sept. 14 meeting, he researched and established “parameters of what retail marijuana business would look like” and sent the information to Perri and Polistina. He said Perri is on board but he had not heard from Polistina, whom he said is on vacation.
“My hope is to have a draft ordinance next meeting,” Utts said, noting he forwarded solicitor Kris Facenda Egg Harbor Township’s ordinance, which he said “lines up pretty well with what we could do in Northfield.”
Utts said City Council received an email from a Linwood woman interested in opening what she characterized as “an upscale retail cannabis shop offering strains that have not been seen in many years. She is quite excited about it.”
He said the Cannabis Regulatory Commission is giving special consideration to women-, minority- and wounded-veteran-owned businesses. The application process begins Nov. 9, and the woman would like to be able to note on her application that Northfield allows retail marijuana, which it currently does not.
During public comment, Kim Betesh, owner of Hollywood Smokin’ on Tilton Road at Cresson Avenue, noted she also is interested in offering cannabis at her shop, which sells paraphernalia such as pipes.
Betesh said there are extensive compliance issues business owners must meet to get a license. Calling herself a cannabis retailer and educator, she suggested the city create a separate ordinance for each type of license rather than one license governing all. That way, she said, City Council could amend them individually.
Utts said time is of the essence because license seekers will want to “get in line early,” adding that the unnamed Linwood woman estimated that her business could produce as much as $15,000 a month in tax revenue for the city. He said he thinks that is more of a pipe dream than reality but noted “the clock is ticking.”
“If we don’t move we will miss out,” Madden added.
Perri said he noticed a business named Hookah Town had opened on New Road, near Rose’s Garden Grille, selling items that complement the cannabis businesses.
Utts said allowing marijuana businesses would attract other complementary businesses as well. Perhaps a doughnut shop.
Councilman Brian Smith, an unwavering opponent of the idea, asked if anyone had seen a recent newspaper editorial on the issue.
“It’s interesting how we talk about following the science but here we have warnings from the Centers for Disease Control, National Academy of Sciences and directors of adolescent medicine and addiction medicine at Johns Hopkins and Harvard medical schools, all urging states not to legalize marijuana,” he said.
Quoting the article, he said marijuana use in Colorado, one of the first states to legalize it, increased 138 percent. Calls to poison centers for marijuana exposer increased 112 percent after legalization in Colorado and 140 percent in Massachusetts, he said. Traffic fatalities in which drivers tested positive for marijuana doubled after legalization in Colorado and Washington.
“Here we are talking about $15,000 a month. It boggles my mind that you are willing to sacrifice our children for a few dollars and we would go against health experts and go against law enforcement experts and our own law enforcement officials, who recommend against it,” Smith said. “I don’t want it, it shouldn’t be in Northfield and I am appalled that we continue to bandy this about.”
Councilman Dave Notaro said that was good information and something everyone should consider.
“It appears we are not following the science there but we are following the science and wearing masks 6 feet apart from one another at a council meeting,” Notaro said. “That seems a little ridiculous.”
Madden pointed out that marijuana sales are limited to people 21 and older.
Perri said like alcohol, cannabis is a legal, regulated industry, noting the city formed the Northfield Municipal Alliance to educate youth about the dangers of drug and alcohol use.
In other business, the city adopted Resolution 178, approving a contract with Winner Ford for the purchase of a 2022 Ford Expedition and related equipment for the Office of Emergency Management at a cost of $44,005.
Also adopted, Resolution 181 approves the Northfield Fire Department applying for a grant from the South Jersey Gas First Responders Grant Program for $4,472 to fund purchase of new LED hand-held lights.
Resolution 182 authorizes Schaeffer, Nassar, Scheidegg Consulting Engineers to move forward with designing reconstruction of Merritt Drive and a portion of Ridgewood Drive at a cost of $20,100.
Engineer Rami Nassar said the project would include Merritt from Wabash to New Road and loop around to Ridgewood Drive.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff