STAMFORD — Many have spoken out against new proposals to bring two more cannabis dispensaries to Stamford, and now the city’s Board of Education has weighed in.
In an unusual move, the board issued a symbolic vote Tuesday night expressing their collective disapproval of the two cannabis dispensary applications — one for the city’s West Side and the other in the Cove neighborhood — that have already received the approval of the Planning Board.
The resolution, which was supported by eight of the nine members with one abstention from Versha Munshi-South, called on the Zoning Board to deny both applications. The language of the resolution references a Zoning Board regulation that prohibits an adult-use cannabis retailer from opening within 1,000 feet of a public or non-public school.
While neither application would seemingly violate that regulation, many have pointed out that they would each be located near centers that provide assistance or programming for area youth.
Cannabis purveyor Ayr Wellness, a Miami-based company with more than 85 licensed dispensaries across the U.S., has filed to open a store at 417 Shippan Ave. That building is a 2,050-square-foot facility that houses Building One Community, an immigrant services nonprofit, which has opposed Ayr’s application.
According to the Board of Education’s resolution against the dispensaries, Building One Community offers year-round educational programs to more than 100 elementary-aged children.
On the West Side, Budr Cannabis is hoping to open at 389 West Main St., just a few steps away from Jackie Robinson Park and about 1,000 feet away from the Yerwood Center, a community center that serves children in grades K-3 with after-school and summer camp, among other offerings.
Board of Education President Jackie Heftman said she hopes the definition of schools could be re-examined due to the two cannabis applications.
“The hope is that the definition of public and non-public schools can be looked at in light of public policy that has already been established,” she said.
Budr Cannabis is a Connecticut company, co-founded by Derrick Gibbs and Carl Tirella Jr. So far, the business partners have opened two locations, in Danbury and West Hartford, with a third in Tolland “coming soon,” according to their website.
In an emailed message, Gibbs questioned the Board of Education’s vote.
“With all due respect, the Stamford BOE is not even an abutter to our proposed location, nor do they have voting power within the zoning commission,” he wrote.
Gibbs said those who live near the proposed site for the dispensary should be given more of a say.
“Abutters would have more of a consideration than the Board of Education specifically around zoning,” he wrote.
Neither the Budr nor the Ayr applications have gone before the Zoning Board yet. A public hearing on the Ayr proposal was scheduled for March 25, but was postponed.
H/T: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com
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