Absent any input, members of the commission said the proposed regulations will likely be added to the city’s zoning code at their next meeting Oct. 29.
The commission has been talking about new rules for pot facilities for months.
A 2012 state law allowed for the possibility of medicinal marijuana growing operations.
The commission enacted a moratorium on marijuana facilities in 2013 because the state had not yet spelled out rules for such facilities.
With those state regulations now in place, members of the commission reasoned it would be good to establish local rules for any such businesses.
According to Sheila O’Malley, the city’s economic development director, the city has only received one inquiry about a medical marijuana facility — for a growing facility off Hershey Drive.
Click here to read the proposed rules discussed Monday.
Anyone looking to open up a pot business in Ansonia would need to apply for a “special permit” from the commission, which would hold a public hearing on any proposal.
The regulations would allow production facilities and dispensaries in properties zoned heavy industrial and in commerce parks.
Production facilities would also be allowed in light industrial areas and “special commercial” properties, but dispensaries would not.
The regulations as written prohibited any pot businesses to be located within 300 feet of any properties with schools or churches on them.
But during a discussion at Monday’s hearing the zoners decided to apply that restriction only to dispensaries.
ethan fry photo
Members of Ansonia’s Planning & Zoning Commission look at a map during a meeting Oct. 15, 2018.
“Everything’s contained within the four walls of the building. I’ve talked to numerous people since this has come up, including fire marshals who inspect them, and they’re all self-contained,” Jared Heon, the chairman of the commission, said of pot production facilities.
“The production facilities are highly regulated, so I don’t see why we wouldn’t want to make it fairly available in those areas,” Maureen McCormack said.
After the meeting members of the commission said they were surprised no one from the public showed up to Monday’s meeting.
“I’m shocked that there weren’t more people,” Heon said.
Other than members of the commission and staff, the only people there were two reporters and Sixth Ward Alderman Joshua Shuart, who said he didn’t have a position on the regulations and showed up to the meeting because he was curious what would happen.
In a non-scientific poll in an Aug. 15 Valley Indy story about the draft regulations, 65.81 percent of respondents supported allowing marijuana growing facilities and dispensaries in Ansonia.
Heon said he hasn’t heard any opposition to the proposal and anticipated the commission will pass it at its next meeting.
“I believe it’ll be approved,” he said. “It’s a well-though-out regulation.”
After Monday’s meeting O’Malley said the city hasn’t yet received any more inquiries from potential pot businesses — but probably would if the commission approves the new rules.
She said the city would rather see production facilities than dispensaries in terms of economic development potential.
Like most communities in the lower Naugatuck Valley, Ansonia has many former industrial properties now sitting empty.
Such properties would seem tailor-made for cannabis capitalists looking for growing room.
The new rules will help the city direct any such interest better, O’Malley said.
“You have to be prepared for what the future’s going to hold and where the demand is going to be,” she said. “You have control over the situation and you’re able to make informed decisions about the kinds of developments you want.”
