Cannabis Businesses Could Be Prohibited In Long Valley

LONG VALLEY, NJ — The Washington Township Committee recently introduced an ordinance that will be up for public hearing in late June, which if adopted would ban the operations of any class of cannabis businesses in the township, until the Committee gathers more information on the topic.

In a phone interview with Patch on Wednesday, Washington Township Mayor Matt Murello said it will give the township more time discuss with their planners and explore land use questions.

While Murello said he recognized that approximately 64% of Washington Township residents voted for recreational marijuana on the state's ballot question in November 2020, the feedback he received was that many weren’t aware of all of the provisions with the original legislation after casting their vote; and were surprised by them after it was signed into law.

One of the points, was the original allowance that parents wouldn’t be notified if their children 18 and under were caught with pot for the first time, a portion of the law Gov. Phil Murphy amended in March.

Murello also said the state has provided little information to municipalities on business operations, with Washington Township needing to work with planners on understanding a range of topics on cannabis business operations.

“The state hasn’t given us any guidance,” Murello said.

“One of my biggest complaints is that there’s been an ‘all or nothing approach,’” Murello added about the state's handling of the topic of recreational marijuana businesses. “What’s good for Washington Township may not be good for other towns.”

With Murphy’s signature on the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement, Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act on Feb. 22, recreational marijuana was allowed in New Jersey. However, municipalities were given a window of time, to permit or disallow cannabis businesses within each of their borders by mid-June, to make a decision; and then adopt an ordinance with their stance by Aug. 22.

“We can take a second look at this at any point,” Murello said, should the vote carry that Washington Township’s Committee adopts the ordinance during its public hearing on June 21.

Should communities choose to adopt an ordinance permitting cannabis business operations, they are locked into their decision for five years.

Questions or comments about this story? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.