By james art The board’s vote came after a public hearing on the measure Tuesday.
At the public hearing, the board discussed repealing a local law that banned the sale of cannabis in the municipality, signaling its move toward opting for state licensing for retail dispensaries.
City Attorney Tal Rappleyea, speaking by phone at Tuesday’s meeting, said the township’s ordinance banning the retail sale of cannabis, which passed in late 2021, was passed because the board was unsure how the state would implement the legalization of cannabis. cannabis.
“At that time there were no rules available and we [the town] I didn’t know how it would be distributed,” Rappleyea said. “We [the town] decided to wait and see what the rules would be, what had to be done and how it would all be implemented. Now that we’ve reached this point, it’s time to rethink.”
During the public hearing portion of the meeting, Kylie Thompson, owner of Lazy Day Farm on Route 145 in East Durham, said cannabis is like a cash crop meant to be grown and sold.
“I think I’m the only person in town pushing for it,” Thompson said. “The main reason is that I look at cannabis like corn or garlic. This is a crop for money. It’s something you plant, harvest and sell. It is nothing more.”
As a farmer, Thompson added, allowing the retail sale of cannabis in his municipality provides him with another crop to harvest.
“The impact on the city won’t come down to retail sales,” Thompson said. “In terms of income it would be very good for the city, but for my purposes it just gives me another crop.”
Charlie McArdle, who attended the meeting, shared a similar sentiment, adding that it was important for the city to support the measure.
McArdle said the board could provide guidance on dispensary regulations and their potential locations.
“They [the board] can write the code to keep dispensaries out of schools and churches,” McArdle said. “I think it’s important for the city to support this. We don’t want to see all these dairy farms turned into houses. We need to support our farmers, including cannabis growers.”
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