NORWALK — After nearly a year of research and discussions, city officials say they are ready to move forward with a cannabis ordinance.
This follows a nine-month moratorium enacted by the Common Council “on cannabis sales and growth to research the best approach using a thorough and thoughtful process,” city officials said in a statement.
“During the moratorium, the Common Council determined that the benefits warranted proceedings with a proposal to allow the retail sales and the cultivation of cannabis,” the statement said.
According to Common Council Member Josh Goldstein, the cannabis ordinance received a vote of 6-1 to send it to a public hearing. The only person who voted against it was Bryan Meek, who could not be reached for comment on Friday.
“After a months-long process that involved consultation with community members and state and local government officials, we believe that our proposed ordinance represents a thorough and thoughtful approach to regulating cannabis in Norwalk because it is structured to introduce a securely regulated industry to Norwalk that could be profitable to small business, help fund important and equitable community programs, and regulate public consumption,” Goldstein said.
The proposal includes information regarding how the city will manage the funds it receives from sales tax on cannabis purchases.
“The revenue that goes into the city’s Cannabis Trust Account will go right back into the community,” said Lamond Daniels, the city’s chief of community services. “It has the potential to help fund critical initiatives such as education programs, youth employment, training programs, services to reduce the recidivism rate, mental health programs, community civic engagement efforts and more. There is so much good we can do for the community with these funds.”
Daniels will be part of a panel discussion during Monday’s meeting. He will be joined by Steve Kleppin, director of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Andréa Comer, deputy commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection, and Steven Hernández, executive director of the state Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, and Opportunity.
Kleppin said the cultivation part of the ordinance would still require more discussion and voting regarding zoning regulations.
“The draft regulations, should the city wish to allow the cannabis uses, would be to treat the cultivators similar to manufacturing uses in how they are regulated and where they can operate,” Kleppin said. “There are additional requirements related to odor and security, beyond what we might require for a traditional manufacturer. In general, the retailers and cultivators are not permitted in the same locations.”
Mayor Harry Rilling said the upcoming meetings are just the start of the process.
“As this conversation evolves, we plan to have more public discussions to continue listening to and answering the community’s questions,” he said.
The virtual meeting will be held over Zoom from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, and citizens can submit questions in advance via a form on the city’s website or during the meeting through the chat box. More information and the link for the Zoom meeting can be found on the city’s website.
Faith Marnecheck can be reached at faith.marnecheck@hearstmediact.com
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