Jersey City Planning Board Begins Retail Cannabis Conversations

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Jersey City Planning Board started the first series of conversations around retail cannabis sales in Jersey City during Tuesday night's meeting.

“We want to devote as much time as possible to this. This is unprecedented here,” said Board Chair Christopher Langston.

Tuesday was the first of two meetings the city is holding with the planning board to go over zoning for cannabis establishments — the goal is to have the zoning plans introduced to the City Council by July 14. The second Planning Board meeting is scheduled for June 22 where the city will recommend opening the discussion to public comment and board action.

During Tuesday's meeting, Jersey City Supervising Planner Matt Ward explained the proposed regulations the city is offering, including opting out of Cannabis Consumption Areas, or otherwise known as onsite consumption areas, "until local licensing are promulgated," according to the city's presentation.

Municipalities in New Jersey have until August 21 to enact an ordinance managing cannabis policy in the city for the next five years.

Cannabis retailers would be allowed in the following zoning districts, according to the application:

• Neighborhood Commercial (NC), Palisade Avenue Mixed Use Multi-Family Attached Housing District (R-2D), Commercial/Automotive (C/A), Highway Commercial (HC), Waterfront Planned Development (WPD), Central Business District (CBD), and Office/Residential (O/R).
• Any district, zone, overlay, or subdistrict of a Redevelopment Plan where retail sales of goods and services is a permitted principal use

The full presentation is available online, as well as supporting documents relating to cannabis establishments in Jersey City. Questions, comments and concerns about the presentation or cannabis establishments in the city can be directed to Matt Ward at City Planning at 201-547-5010 or by emailing mward@jcnj.org and cityplanning@jcnj.org.

Also Read:

• Jersey City Planning Board To Review Cannabis Regulations
• Medical Marijuana Company Submits Plans To Open In Jersey City
• Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey
• Jersey City Can't Decriminalize Marijuana: OAG

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