New Haven officials reject cannabis applications at former bank, diner sites

In both cases, commission members were concerned about the proximity of the proposed facilities to “sensitive receptors.”

Those included high school programs at nearby Gateway Community College in the case of the  retailer proposed in the former Connecticut Savings Bank at 45 Church St., and an early childhood education center that the Friends Center for Children Inc. plans to open in the former Cine 4 movie theater across Middletown Avenue from the diner, which is located at 420 Middletown Ave.

The vote was 3-1 in favor of denial on the Church Street application filed by Dharini Patel and Divine 1 LLC and 3-1 in favor of denial on the Middletown Avenue application filed by Affinity Health and Wellness LLC.

For the Church Street application, City Plan Commission alternate Carl Goldfield, who made the motion to deny, was joined by members Joy Gary and Chairwoman Leslie Radcliffe, with Alder Adam Marchand, D-25, voting against it.

For the Middletown Avenue application, Marchand made the motion to deny and was joined by Gary and Radcliffe, with Goldfield voting against it.

Had the City Plan Commission approved all five applications, it would have maxxed out the number of cannabis outlets in New Haven at five — a limit the Board of Alders set when it approved the ordinance that controls how and where such establishments can locate in the city.

While there were five new applications pending this month and there is one existing outlet, one of the new applications would have involved Affinity moving from its existing location at 1351 Whalley Ave. to the proposed new location at 420 Middletown Ave.

One of the adult-use cannabis outlets approved last week, Nautilus Botanicals’ future hybrid dispensary/store at 63 Amity Road, would be about 1,600 feet from Affinity, just over the 1,500-foot limit required by state law.

The commission on July 19 also approved INSA’s application for an adult-use cannabis store in the former home of Long Wharf Theatre at 222 Sargent Drive and Let’s Grow Hartford LLC’s application for an adult use cannabis store at 1041 State St., across the street from the upscale Corsair Apartments and the Ralph Walker Ice Rink.

INSA, Nautilus and Let’s Grow Hartford will be the city’s second, third and fourth cannabis retailers.

On the Church Street application, several commission members expressed concerns that a cannabis outlet might cause traffic issues, be too close to the Green or just not be the right fit downtown.

“I am opposed to this. … I’m just not seeing it,” said Goldfield. “I doubt a sign telling people that they shouldn’t go to the Green and light up is going to be effective. I’m also concerned that this didn’t go to the (community) management team before” coming to the commission.

“It seems like (downtown New Haven) is on the way up, and I just don’t see this contributing to that,” Goldfield said. “This use would be really detrimental to downtown, so I’m opposed.”

Gary said she was concerned “about the location across the street from the community college,” which also is home to a day care center. “I’m not sure that it’s the best location for it.”

Radcliffe said more business downtown and finding a new use for an empty building are great things, and she was not concerned about traffic, but “the use of marijuana, although it is now legal, is one that … because of its odor, because of its smell, is something that cannot easily be hidden.”

“I don’t think that having a dispensary of recreational use marijuana in the downtown area is going to serve downtown,” Radcliffe said. “… I don’t find it to be a good location.”

Marchand said he was inclined to support the application, but he still was concerned about “sensitive receptors.”

Earlier, during public comment, several people spoke in favor of the application, including the applicant’s lawyer, Bernard Pellegrino, the building’s owner, David Kuperberg, and his lawyer, Jim Segaloff.

One person, David Goldblum of Branford, who owns the Elm City Bioscience Center next door at 39 Church St. and several other buildings downtown, spoke against it.

“It’s going to hurt my developments and it’s going to hurt our ability to bring tenants to the city,” Goldblum said. “It’s going to really tie up what is a major thoroughfare there.”

On the Middletown Avenue application, for which the commission held a public hearing July 19 before tabling it, the issue of proximity to the early childhood education center kept coming up.

“My recollection about this item was that one of the crucial issues was the proximity of the application to the … pre-K center. I think it’s incumbent on us as commissioners to think through, would the location of a cannabis” retailer be a problem for the pre-K center.

“I thought a lot about that. I am not concerned about that,” said Goldfield, adding that “the likelihood of these toddlers ever wandering into this place are thin to none. Actually, none.” He also said the former movie theater “is a good way up the hill … you ‘re actually almost driving up a street to get to that lot.”

Gary said she was concerned about proximity to the day care center, but “also, there was quite a bit of opposition from alders in the area. … We had a good number of people testify.”

“I think the proximity to the sensitive receptors is an issue,” Radcliffe said.

“I’m inclined because of the outpouring of opposition of those who are in close proximity … to not give this my approval,” she said. “I don’t believe that they’ve met the criteria, in that this is going to have a negative impact on the neighborhood in particular.”

Goldfield said he understood her concerns, but added, “I don’t think the dangers here are any greater than anyplace else. I just don’t see anything special in this location that wouldn’t apply to anyplace else in the city.”