In the heart of Kent, Connecticut—a town where the air is crisp and the streets whisper secrets of New England’s past—the local Planning and Zoning Commission is gearing up for a showdown. On January 16, 2025, at the stroke of 7:00 PM, the Town Hall Meeting Room at 41 Kent Green Blvd will transform into an arena for the Cannabis Regulation Educational Forum. This isn’t just another town meeting; it’s a hybrid spectacle, with digital warriors joining via:
Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86590268268
meeting ID 865 9026 8268.
The agenda? To dissect and debate Kent’s regulatory destiny concerning the retail, farming, and production of weed. The town’s six-month moratorium on marijuana business applications is ticking away, set to expire this summer. The choices are stark: craft zoning regulations or draft a town ordinance. The stakes are high, and the clock is relentless.
Leading this charge is Sarah Chase, the PZC’s cannabis subcommittee chair and former executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Council for Federal Cannabis Regulation. Chase warns that the cannabis conundrum is “nuanced and complicated,” with facets ranging from agriculture and medical use to social equity and retail perspectives.
The forum’s lineup reads like a who’s who of cannabis “experts”:
- Erik Gundersen: Founder of ERG Strategies, a maestro in cannabis policy orchestration.
- Tyler Klimas: Principal and founder of Leaf Street Strategies, navigating the labyrinth of cannabis regulations.
- Lila McKinley: Legal Program Director with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, the gatekeeper of legal labyrinths.
- Brandon McGee: Director of the Connecticut Social Equity Council, championing the cause of equitable cannabis commerce.
- Eric Berlin: Cannabis law attorney at Dentons, the legal eagle soaring over cannabis legislation.
- Roderick Marriot: Connecticut’s Drug Control Director, the sentinel of substance regulation.
- But this isn’t just a passive parade of experts. The forum is a call to arms for Kent’s citizens. Following the discourse, a survey will be unleashed upon the populace, seeking their verdict on the future of cannabis commerce in their town. The questions, shrouded in mystery, will be unveiled during the forum.
To fuel the debate, the subcommittee invites questions from the public, both written and verbal. For those who prefer the quill to the tongue, queries can be dispatched in advance to Land Use Administrator Tai Kern at landuseadmin@townofkentct.org.
As the date approaches, the town of Kent stands at a crossroads, the path forward obscured by the haze of regulation and reform. The Cannabis Regulation Educational Forum promises to be a crucible where the future of cannabis in Kent will be forged. Be there, in person or in pixel, to witness the unfolding saga.
Keep it Weird,
