Marijuana Sales To Be Banned In Basking Ridge? Public Hearing Set

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The public will have a chance to speak Tuesday night before the Bernards Township Mayor and Committee is expected to vote on two ordinances essentially prohibiting the sale of marijuana in town and smoking on public property within the township.

The township committee meeting will be held on Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 1 Collyer Ln., Basking Ridge. The meeting will also be live-streamed and can be found by clicking on the "Watch a Meeting Live" icon on the home page bernards.org and can also be viewed live on

Optimum/Cablevision TV - Channel 15 and Verizon FiOS TV - Channel 35.

The first cannabis ordinance — page 8 of the agenda PDF — prohibits the consumption of cannabis in public spaces in Bernards Township. If passed, violators would be subject to fines up to $200.

The township defines public space as the following: "any place to which the public has access that is not privately owned; or any place to which the public has access where alcohol consumption is not allowed; including but not limited to, a public street, roadway, thoroughfare, sidewalk, bridge, alley, plaza, park, playground, swimming pool, shopping area, public transportation facility, vehicle used for public transportation, parking lot, public library, or any other public building, structure, or area."

The second cannabis ordinance — page 13 of the agenda PDF — alters the township's land-development rules to ban weed businesses within township premises. The ordinance prohibits recreational cannabis establishments, cultivators and delivery services from establishing themselves within the township.

The state is only giving towns 6 months or until Aug. 22 to enact these ordinances. If not, the township wouldn't be able to ban cannabis businesses from coming to town for 5 years.

Basking Ridge isn't the first town in Somerset County to take such measures against marijuana businesses. Bridgewater and Warren also banned the sale of marijuana in town and smoking on public property on township property earlier this month. Read More: Bridgewater Bans Marijuana Sales Despite Public Disapproval

Hillsborough Township will also hold a public hearing and vote on prohibiting marijuana sales within the town on Tuesday night.

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