WILTON — The Wilton Select Board approved licenses for four marijuana businesses at their Tuesday, Feb. 1, meeting.
The four businesses in question are Cannatopia, The Honeycomb Farm, Power Plant and Earth Keeper.
The renewals were approved following new licensing fees approved by the Select Board in October. They range from $667-$7,500 and are based on the average of those in Farmington, Jay and Wilton.
Chair David Leavitt said at the time, and emphasized at the Tuesday meeting, that these fees will be reevaluated in a year or two after the town has a better understanding of the time it dedicates to monitoring the facilities.
Town Manager Rhonda Irish said all four businesses are caught up on taxes. She added that any complaints issued over the last year have been followed up by the Wilton Police Department and Code Enforcement Office Charlie Lavin.
Police Chief Heidi Wilcox said that the state has conducted inspections in response to the complaints and “had validated all of that.”
“We have been to each of the establishments for complaints, all reasonable, and all were taken care of,” Wilcox said. “So I have no issue with any of them.”
Inspections have also been conducted and there are only a few outstanding “fire issues” such as extinguishers, Knox Boxes that need to be checked by Wilcox.
“I’m sure all will be more than happy to try and come in to comply,” Lavin said. “I’m seeing very good cooperation.”
The board unanimously approved issuance of licenses for the next year “pending the inspection by code enforcement.”
During the meeting, Selectperson Tom Saviello affirmed for the business owners that these procedures are standard.
“This is not treating you any different than we treat” businesses with liquor licenses, Saviello said. “I want to make sure you don’t feel that we’re beating on you guys. This is consistent with what we’ve done in the past.”
Earth Keeper owner John Black also raised concerns about the town requiring Knox Boxes for marijuana retail and cultivation facilities.
“I continue to bring up the issues with permittees,” Black said.
Lavin said that the Knox Boxes, key safes, are “promoted by the fire department [and police department] to probably protect some of your personal property … And if there’s a need to get inside the premises quickly.”
Lavin said that Knox Boxes are “not a requirement” but a “strong suggestion.”
“An establishment can choose not to do that,” he said.
Lavin added that apartment buildings in town also have Knox Boxes to grant access for the police and fire departments.
Black also asked about why the town’s marijuana ordinance imposes stipulations on hours of operation. Hours of operation in the ordinance stipulate opening only within the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saviello asked about which businesses are operating outside the regulated hours of operation.
Black said his store is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. depending on the day of the week.
Another business owner said she opens 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“I think that’s silly of us to put it in the ordinance of any business what hours they can be open and what hours they [have to] close,” Saviello said. ” I think that something ordinance wise we’ve got to change.”
“We’ve got some ordinance items to change in there because marijuana is seeming to be evolving over time,” Irish said.
Selectperson Keith Swett said that regulating hours of operation has “come up in the past from noise concerns” — which Lavin confirmed.
“In this case, it wouldn’t be but I think that’s where it came from in the ordinance originally was concerns about noise and neighbors,” Swett said.
Saviello asked if the town regulates the hours of operation for other businesses in town, such as restaurant Calzolaio or Ambition Brewing. Lavin said the town does not regulate those kinds of businesses.
Lavin added that the regulation of hours was because “[an] establishment that brought it up originally that they want to be outside.”
“I think I tried to get the ordinance out to everybody before, but there’s always a kind of a little wrinkle. I try to be flexible,” Lavin said. “I didn’t realize. I don’t go and check them at different times.”
The board unanimously approved the license renewals.
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