The Village of Garden City plans to hold a public hearing on whether to allow “cannabusiness” to operate in the village. The public hearing follows New York State’s legalization of marijuana for recreational use by adults on April 30th, and the state’s recent creation of a state Cannabis Control Board to regulate the new industry.
During the Garden City Board of Trustees’ October 7 meeting, Trustee John Delany suggested that the Village schedule a public hearing on the issue of recreational marijuana and “cannabusiness” within village boundaries.
“I believe we have until December 31, 2021 to opt out of having (permitting) marijuana businesses and stores with differentiations and classifications. I would like the Board to hold a public hearing on that so that if we decide to opt out, then the public hearing would be held and the village can present an appropriate law as our Village Attorney (Peter Bee) already started to work on this. The problem is that if we do not opt out and we don’t like the regulations New York State puts forward, I believe after December 31 this year we would not have the chance to opt out,” Delany said. He called this a measure meant to “protect ourselves.”
Trustee Delany clarified his position on the opting out following a public hearing by stating if the Village of Garden City decides to “opt-out” of allowing types of cannabusinesses, then subsequently the village government finds that laws and regulations would be suitable for the village, “we can always re-change the law and allow for shops/businesses in Garden City.”
Delany’s announcement was followed 13 days later by a press release on the Village of Garden City website, suggesting that the Board’s meeting on Thursday November 4, 2021 would be the date for the public hearing. The Board’s meeting agenda for Thursday October 21 also reflected this public hearing on “A Local Law Adding Chapter 78 to the Village Code Entitled “Cannabis Prohibition”.
“The Board of Trustees is expected to set the date of Thursday, November 4, 2021 for a public hearing to consider a proposed Local Law prohibiting the licensed sale of cannabis and/or on-site consumption sites within the boundaries of the Village of Garden City. If the Village passes this law, the State of New York will prohibit the establishment of any retail dispensary and/or on-site consumption sites by refusing to grant any such license within the Village,” the press release states.
