EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — The Egg Harbor Township Committee unanimously voted last week to adopt a pair of ordinances expanding the number of alcohol licenses available and regulating and taxing the marijuana industry.
The alcohol-related legislation, Ordinance No. 4, increased the number of alcohol licenses for plenary retail distribution that are available in the township from five to six. A plenary-retail-distribution license enables business to sell packaged alcohol on site at its store premises, without authorizing on-site consumption of said alcohol. New Jersey state law allocates to a municipality one plenary-retail-distribution alcohol license per every 7,500 municipal residents as determined by the most recent U.S. census, although every municipality is given a minimum of one distribution and one retail license, regardless of population.
Several representatives from liquor stores currently operating in Egg Harbor Township expressed concern about the alcohol ordinance, saying they are worried about more intense competition from a new entrant into the market. They asked that any company that acquires the new liquor license be prohibited from opening within a certain distance of existing stores.
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Adam Stromfeld, the majority owner of two Joe Canal’s stores in the township, said that the business was already saturated and committee action could help protect his investment.
“It’s a great community, we’ve been able to grow our businesses and with all of us we have well over 100 employees,” Stromfeld said. “It’s not going to increase the liquor business (the sixth license), it’s just going to spread it apart more and if there’s a way to protect, to barrier us away from other stores, we’d really appreciate that.”
Township officials said at the meeting that they would explore adopting protectionist measures for existing liquor stores.
The marijuana-related legislation, Ordinance No. 5, amends the marijuana ordinances the Township Committee adopted in 2021. It further regulates the process by which a prospective business owner would go about obtaining a township endorsement when applying for a state recreational marijuana license. The ordinance establishes that any prospective applicant must first submit a concept plan and pay a $2,500 review fee. The Township Committee, on the recommendation of other review committees it is to create, will vote on whether to adopt a resolution of support, which the applicant can appeal. This support resolution is separate from site-plan approval and other licensing fees.
Ordinance No. 5 also fixes a semantic issue discovered in the section about township taxes in last year’s ordinances – namely they use the term “gross revenue” rather than simply “revenue” to describe what would be taxed, deviating from state guidelines. There remains a 2% tax on marijuana cultivation, manufacturing and retail sales; and a 1% tax on marijuana wholesaler sales.
Brian Sickora, a general manager with Acreage Holdings, expressed concern that sections of the ordinances could hinder medical marijuana businesses already operating in the township, such as Acreage’s store, The Botanist. He took issue with the section of the township code prohibiting people younger than 21 years old from even entering a facility that sells recreational marijuana. That section, Sickora said, could keep persons 20 years old or younger from entering the premises of a business that sells their prescribed medicinal marijuana, if said business also sells recreational products.
Township officials said they would work to allay Sickora’s concerns in future ordinances.
In other business, the township honored a pair of officers from the Egg Harbor Township Police Department for each working of over 25 years in law enforcement.
Police Sgt. Jody London has over 26 years of experience with the force. According to the township, has been awarded distinctions for various accomplishments, including lifesaving, honorable service and good conduct from the organizations such as local and state police benevolent associations.
Police Sgt. Robert Smith had also been working for the force for over 26 years and was assigned to the work to the airport unit for security at the Atlantic City Airport after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He coaches multiple youth sports and has also received multiple commendations.
Mayor Paul Hodson presented the officers with distinctions from the township.
The pair was set to be recognized once that had both past their 25th anniversaries of the starts to their career in law enforcement last year, but the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contact Chris Doyle
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