Kent residents favor measured approach to legalized cannabis

KENT — More than 460 Kent residents made their voices heard on cannabis retail and cultivation in a recent town survey.

Sarah Chase, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission’s Cannabis Regulation Subcommittee, presented the findings of the survey — which are publicly available on the town website — at the group’s April 3 special meeting.

In her executive summary, she concluded that “the data reflects a cautious but open-minded community — one that supports medical access, values farming traditions, and seeks to preserve the unique character of Kent.”

The survey received responses from approximately 10% of the town’s population.

Results showed support for the cultivation of hemp products with 54% in approval.

For retail sales, 44% of responses indicated disapproval of recreational cannabis businesses, while only 29% were in favor.

In total, 79% of respondents felt Kent should maintain its rural and agricultural identity when weighing the impacts of the cannabis growing and retail industries.

The survey indicated a desire in town for a highly controlled approach by establishing strict zoning regulations surrounding cannabis facilities.

Chase said that the survey “provides clear insight into public sentiment” and creates a “valuable foundation” upon which the commission can regulate cannabis growth and sale.

Chase drafted an ordinance that the subcommittee will present to the full P&Z commission at its April 10 meeting alongside the survey results.

At the April 10 meeting, P&Z is expected to vote on a six-month extension of the current moratorium on cannabis retail, which is due to expire soon.

Latest News

Join us for


 

  

Keep ReadingShow less
Summer Nights of Canaan

Wednesday, July 16

Cobbler n’ Cream
5 to 7 p.m.
Freund’s Farm Market & Bakery | 324 Norfolk Rd.

Canaan Carnival
6 to 10 p.m.
Bunny McGuire Park

Keep ReadingShow less
When the guide gets it wrong

Rosa setigera is a native climbing rose whose simple flowers allow bees to easily collect pollen.

Dee Salomon

After moving to West Cornwall in 2012, we were given a thoughtful housewarming gift: the 1997 edition of “Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs.” We were told the encyclopedic volume was the definitive gardener’s reference guide — a fact I already knew, having purchased one several months earlier at the recommendation of a gardener I admire.

At the time, we were in the thick of winter invasive removal, and I enjoyed reading and dreaming about the trees and shrubs I could plant to fill in the bare spots where the bittersweet, barberry, multiflora rose and other invasive plants had been.Years later, I purchased the 2011 edition, updated and inclusive of plants for warm climates.

Keep ReadingShow less
A few highlights from Upstate Art Weekend 2025

Foxtrot Farm & Flowers’ historic barn space during UAW’s 2024 exhibition entitled “Unruly Edges.”

Brian Gersten

Art lovers, mark your calendars. The sixth edition of Upstate Art Weekend (UAW) returns July 17 to 21, with an exciting lineup of exhibitions and events celebrating the cultural vibrancy of the region. Spanning eight counties and over 130 venues, UAW invites residents and visitors alike to explore the Hudson Valley’s thriving creative communities.

Here’s a preview of four must-see exhibitions in the area:

Keep ReadingShow less