By Bobby Panza
Community Board 7 does not have the power to prevent a cannabis dispensary from opening at any location. This was made clear from the start of a special meeting of its Business & Consumer Issues committee this week. The board can weigh in on matters like hours of operation, signage, and security, but the ultimate decision maker is the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM).
Still, as with liquor licenses, applications for retail, adult-use (21+) — LEGAL — cannabis dispensary licenses are required to be reviewed and voted on by community boards, and that occurred at the meeting. A total of seven applications for two-year, retail dispensary licenses were heard.
Potential Dispensaries on the Upper West Side:
- 143 West 72nd Street (Broadway/Columbus Avenue)
- SDVOSB with Robert Kramer: Rejected with a committee vote of 0 in favor, 4 opposed and 3 abstained and 0 abstained for cause. Non-committee member voted 0-3-1-0.
- 2273 Broadway (West 81st – 82nd Streets) TWO APPLICANTS
- Lava Glaciers, LLC: Approved with 7 in favor, 0 opposed or abstained. Non-committee voted 4-1-0-0.
- Happy123NYC, LLC: Approved with 7 in favor and none opposed or abstained. Non-committee voted 4-0-1-0.
- 2465 Broadway (West 91st – 92nd Street) TWO APPLICANTS
- APF Syndicated, Corp: Approved with 7 in favor, none opposed or abstained. Non-committee voted 3-1-0-0
- Royal Leaf: Approved with 6 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstained, 0 abstained for cause. Non-committee voted: 2-1-1-0.
- 230 West 105th Street (Broadway/Amsterdam Avenue)
- Kusk & Kemet: Approved with 6 in favor, 0 opposed or abstained. Non-committee voted 3-0-0-0.
- 2742 Broadway (West 106th/107th Streets)
- Rose Dispensary: Approved 5 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstained, 0 abstained for cause. Non-committee voted 1-0-1-0.
Regulations for Locating Dispensaries:
Dispensaries cannot be on the same road and/or within 500 feet of a building or its grounds if it is used exclusively as a school. They also cannot be within 200 feet of a building occupied exclusively by a house of worship, nor within 1,000 feet of each other. The full list of questions asked on dispensary applications is here. The applications that were approved were for “provisional licenses,” indicating they had not yet signed leases for the proposed locations. However, all applicants said they were negotiating with landlords to secure the desired spaces.
One surprising note was how few members of the public showed up to provide feedback. “I wish we had a better turnout, and I fear we’re going to have a much larger full-board meeting,” said Doug Kleiman, executive vice chair of the board. CB 7 District Manager Max Vandervliet noted that 40 people were turned away due to lack of space.
One attendee was seen checking out google maps to determine the legality of the proposed dispensaries, and later pointed out the many locations of illegal dispensaries. This led to a discussion about the persistence of illegal cannabis shops in the neighborhood. While a solution for addressing these illicit establishments remained elusive, there was hope that the introduction of legal shops might prompt the closure of the illegal ones.
The applications will be reviewed and voted on again at the upcoming full Community Board 7 meeting on November 6 at 6:30 p.m.
To receive WSR’s free email newsletter, click here.
I’ve been pro-legalization for decades. What astonishes me is how dozens of these illegal pot shops continue operating on the UWS and all over NYC.
If they flout the laws like that, I seriously doubt they are reporting their income and paying their appropriate sales taxes. May those who patiently endured NY bureaucracy to run a legal shop be the ultimate victors here.
What exactly does a regular corner “illegal” smoke shop do to harm a community relative to a legal liquor store ? Illegal does not necessarily mean that there is anything wrong , it just means society and its laws can’t keep up with the times .
It shows that the police force is way understaffed and under budgeted to prevent crime and enforce current laws.
This article.shows the distinction of CB7. Doug Kleiman is surprised the turnout was small while CB 7 District Manager Max Vandervliet noted that 40 people were turned away due to lack of space. And this is for a meeting discussing something which CB7 cannot stop. I’m surprised anyone shows up to voice their thoughts when the people with the power are not there and will never hear the disagreement.
What’s the point? The neighborhood is flooded with illegal shops that don’t have to worry about whether they’re selling contaminated/dangerous stuff, taxes and licensing fees., or our safety. I’m all for letting licensed shops operate but let’s get rid of the illegal ones while we are at it!
So awful. More drugs and crime and danger to health.
I don’t understand the next to last paragraph of this article: “A solution for addressing these illicit establishments remained elusive.”
The health department can shut down a restaurant that has violations. Are you saying there is no City agency with the authority to shut down illegal drug operations? Wouldn’t this also fall under the Health Department’s mandate?
Does anyone know what happened with the 72nd Street one? It appears from the votes that it was an unusual source of contention.
Why is one needed on 72nd Street. You can just walk along the street for free and inhale as much pot vapors as needed.
I smell more pot than cigarettes and although when they liberalized things I said I didn’t mind the odor in comparison to tobacco, I changed my mind. I can’t EVER smell just the old polluted fresh air anymore. It’s all over, it’s very strong, and it does not smell like the old kind of weed. Lol. It smells like it’s mixed with dog *hit. Seriously.
I don’t think that’s what he was asking. I was wondering the same thing. Every other location was approved pretty unanimously, so I was merely curious what led to that specific one getting rejected. No opinion on what it is or where or if we need it or not, just interested in the reason for the outlier.
“While a solution for addressing these illicit establishments remained elusive”
Really?! We don’t have a solution how to deal with illicit establishments? Simple. Close them down. Get police involved. It’s not that hard. If I opened my own illegal alcohol shop, selling alcohol without a permit, how long would I be open? Would there be articles about how no one can figure out how to close my illegal shop? Nope. Cops would show up and shut me down in a heartbeat. But weed shops? Answers are illusive. Give me a break. Police do your job.
I was told by the police they’ve been told by the powers to be not to close down the shops that you need to call the sheriffs office. I’ve called 311 now I will call the office of cannabis management. I told community board seven nothing I wish I smoked pot because you don’t even need to go to a store. You just walk along any Street in New York City nowadays and inhale. It’s disgusting. And we’re going to see the negative results of all the people smoking pot and who are stoned as you see them now in their way to work at 7 AM. I hate to think how many bus, drivers taxi cab, drivers construction workers teachers, etc. are all high. I’ve seen construction workers and janitors take the lunch breaks smoking a joint and walking back to work. I can’t show up to work drunk, but I can show up to work stoned.?
Why do you think someone will show up to work high when they wouldn’t show up drunk? Bars are open in the middle of the day and somehow society survives.
Furthermore, what on earth is wrong with a janitor being stoned while they clean?
this is straight up ratting on your fellow man. How do you feel about snitching on someone who’s making an honest living. this issue doesnt not affect you at ALL. stop trying to find something to channel your fear of the :”other:”
You make some very good points but where is the horror of white collar workers having a 4 martini lunch or drinks after work and then driving home?. Why are you signaling out hourly wage workers?
I hope our elected officials take a stand to also better regulate the signs/advertising allowed at any legal storefronts – all the balloons, blowup signs, flashing lights, signs advertising candy in the existing illegal shops are appealing DIRECTLY to children, and it’s really heartbreaking to see. Liquor stores don’t have that type of overt kid-friendly advertising. Requiring shops to be 500 feet away from schools is a good start, but does not address the problem of their persistent kid-friendly advertising. These shops are actively doing as much as they can to cultivate underage consumers!
The Co-op board at 230 W 105th Street is in active discussions with prospective tenants (to replace Steps), but NOT with any cannabis business. The info from the community board is erroneous.
Curious, the CB approved multiple applicants for the same address. Then is it up to the state OCM to decide which applicant gets the license?
The reason that there might not have been as many people showing up for this meeting was they failed to tell you had to register in advance. In addition, the information provided on the leaflets brought you to a page that was no longer working. It took you a while to figure out how to sign up. I do not think they should require you to register to show up in person. In addition, you’re not able to ask questions If you’re online as I’ve sent in several questions prior to the meeting they were never answered, or even raised during the meeting.