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P&Z approves cannabis regulations

NORTH CANAAN — Recreational marijuana licenses are now regulated in North Canaan.

Following a Monday, March 11, public hearing at Town Hall, the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) voted unanimously to permit eight of the nine license types recognized in Connecticut.

Chairman Tim Abbott said the state will be notified within 14 days, at which point the regulations will go into effect.

The sale of recreational marijuana in North Canaan was approved by voters in the November 2023 election. Nearly 60% of registered voters turned out and the measure was approved by a 17-vote margin.

Under the new regulations, licenses will be permitted in three district types and all licenses will require a special permit.

Industrial Zone license types include cannabis delivery service; cannabis food and beverage manufacturing; cannabis microcultivator (indoor grower up to 10,000 square feet with the ability to expand to 15,000 square feet); cannabis product manufacturer; and cannabis transporter.

All Industrial Zone license types will be limited to a maximum of one establishment per category.

Commercial Zone and Central Business District license types include cannabis dispensary, cannabis hybrid retailer, and cannabis retailer.

A maximum of one dispensary license and one hybrid retailer or retailer license will be granted. If a dispensary (medical sales only) becomes a hybrid retailer (medical and retail sales), no additional cannabis retailer licenses can be approved in town.

All license types are buffered with setbacks: No cannabis establishment may be located within 1,000 feet of a public of private school nor within 500 feet of any charitable institution, church, convent, hospital, licensed child care center, licensed dependency treatment center, military installation, playground, public library, public park, public recreation trail, recreation center or facility, or veterans’ home.

An overlay zone will be applied to the Central Business District specifically for retail/medical/hybrid operations. Two areas of Central Business will be eligible for these license types regardless of buffers.

On-site consumption of cannabis or any cannabis product is prohibited in all licensed establishments. P&Z also set limits on the hours of operation for each license type. The one license type not permitted under the regulations is cannabis cultivator (large-scale growing operation).

The regulations can be viewed at www.northcanaan.org

Riley Klein

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