
Rebelle Dispensary is one of several cannabis outlets in Great Barrington.
Photo by Terry Cowgill
This is the second in a series on the legalization of cannabis in Connecticut.
NORTH CANAAN — As towns across the Northwest Corner have struggled to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic and change the way they do business, they can add another major challenge: how to handle private business interests that want to enter the retail cannabis sector or grow it for the wholesale market.
Connecticut legalized adult-use marijuana sales last year, and the state has put in place some guideposts and incentives with potential revenue streams that could be game-changers for cash-strapped towns.
Municipalities are free to regulate cannabis businesses — medical or recreational — as they would just about any other businesses. According to an analysis by the nonpartisan state Office of Legislative Research, towns may prohibit them from opening, reasonably restrict their hours and signage, restrict their proximity to religious institutions, schools, charitable institutions, hospitals, veterans’ homes or certain military establishments.
According to the Litchfield firm of Cramer & Anderson, which provides legal services to several Northwest Corner towns, a key provision of the new law stipulates that cannabis establishments must be zoned just as similar businesses would be unless municipalities regulate them through their zoning codes or ordinances.
Under Connecticut’s law, possession of 1.5 ounce of cannabis is legal. Since October 2021, medical marijuana patients have been able to grow up to three mature and three immature plants at home starting, with a cap of 12 total plants per household. By July 1, 2023, all adults will be able to grow at home under the same rules.
In neighboring Massachusetts, the cultivation, sale and use of recreational cannabis-related products was legalized through a 2016 ballot initiative.
Cramer & Anderson says it’s also worth noting that, unlike in the Bay State, municipalities in Connecticut that allow micro-cultivators and adult-use cannabis stores “are subject to a cap that limits operations to one retailer and one micro-cultivator for every 25,000 municipal residents until July 1, 2024.” In addition, successful applicants must obtain a special permit from the town for both retail and cultivation uses.
But we’re still in uncharted territory with implications that are controversial, and towns are scrambling to craft appropriate regulations, ban cannabis operations altogether or enact moratoriums on cannabis applications to give planning and zoning commissions time to amend zoning codes that match this challenge.
Hearst Connecticut Media conducted a survey early this year and found that, of Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns, 22 have established bans on sales and cultivation, while 53 have enacted moratoriums on applications.
In Kent, retail stores are prohibited from selling recreational cannabis. In January, Sharon passed a six-month moratorium. Danbury passed a one-year moratorium last July. In Norfolk, a public hearing was held earlier this month to allow public input on several zoning proposals, one of which would regulate the retail sale of cannabis, Tom Fahsbender, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z), told The Lakeville Journal.
But perhaps the most interesting case lies in North Canaan, where the Planning & Zoning Commission held a public hearing in May on a proposed temporary moratorium on cannabis applications.
“We have a rare opportunity for revenue in North Canaan and in light of rising costs, especially education costs, we need to take a serious look at putting a dispensary here,” said former Selectman Susie Clayton.
The town’s taxpayers are frustrated over a steep increase this year of $745,000 in the town’s Region One assessment, placing what officials feel is an undue burden on Canaan.
Though by comparison North Canaan’s population is lower than Salisbury’s, it still has to pay substantially more to the regional school district because it sends more than twice as many students to Housatonic. In addition, Salisbury’s weighted voting power on the Region One Board of Education is higher because North Canaan’s population is lower.
The higher tax burden is compounded by the fact that North Canaan’s tax rate is higher because its property values are generally lower than Salisbury’s. North Canaan Selectman Craig Whiting said last fall that the Region One assessment is “bringing our town to its knees.”
Its unknown how much revenue the cannabis industry could bring to North Canaan.
Twenty minutes to the north, Great Barrington, which has about twice as many full-time residents as North Canaan, took in more than $1 million in the first six months after Theory Wellness, the town’s first recreational cannabis store, opened in January 2019 to long lines that snaked almost around the corner to the Price Chopper. Half a dozen others have since opened.
Great Barrington’s finance director said 12 months ago that since 2019, the town had taken in $6.7 million in cannabis revenue, though officials expect the numbers to decline should sales begin in Connecticut and in New York, where the state Legislature also legalized adult-use last year.
For some perspective, in 2019 Great Barrington’s annual budget was a little more than $30 million, including its assessment to fund the regional school district.
“This will never turn into Great Barrington,” North Canaan resident Ed Capowitz said at the hearing. “We’re allowed one facility. Why turn down that revenue?”
“Our tax bills are getting higher and I know that the ... selectmen are having trouble even trying to get the budget raised whatsoever because there’s just not enough money to go around,” added Ruth Adotte. “So what I’m saying is it would help with the taxes.”
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, which regulates cannabis, has laid out the taxing scheme for retail cannabis sales: the standard 6.35% sales tax levied on most retail items, a 3% sales tax dedicated to the city or town where the sale occurs, and a tax based on THC content that will cost approximately 10 to 15% of the sale price.
The state estimates the total cumulative taxes paid on cannabis purchases to be roughly 20% of the retail price.
Tim Abbott, who chairs the North Canaan P&Z, said no applications have been received yet. Weeks after the public hearing in May, the commission voted unanimously to enact an eight-month moratorium on cannabis applications to give the panel time to draw up regulations, such as which parts of town are appropriate for cannabis, hours of operation, signage and recovering costs for additional policing.
“These are the areas where we have some control,” Abbott said, who said he is neutral on whether to allow sales and cultivation of the product.
A townwide referendum on whether to allow cannabis sales and/or cultivation is tentatively slated for November. If it passes, Abbott expects the regulations should be ready for review by March 2023.
Abbott emphasized that, “Kicking the can down the road isn’t the purpose of a moratorium. It buys you time to do your due diligence, to educate yourself as a commission, to know the law, to see what it might look like in the event that the new change happens.”
The sentiment among Canaanites could spur action. Some residents at May’s public hearing objected even to a moratorium. Lyle Kloke said he thought the commission was “negligent” in not addressing the issue even sooner.
Mickey Stringer of of North East, left, checks in with Chris Virtuoso, volunteering on Saturday, May 12 at the Old Town Garage on South Center Street as a Climate Smart Task Force member. Stringer’s loaded pickup was part of a long line of vehicles along South Center as residents used the opportunity to dispose of air conditioners, mattresses, lumber, and other bulk items. Town Supervisor Christopher Kennan said he didn’t recall seeing such a long line of vehicles in past years.
Elm Drive Elementary School in Millbrook.
MILLBROOK — Preparing for the village-wide vote on the proposed 2025-26 school budget scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, the Millbrook Central School District held a public hearing on Tuesday, May 6, to review the budget and hear residents’ comments.
The CSD proposed 2025-26 budget to be voted upon as Proposition 1, showed total expenditures of $35,649,651, an increase of $1,074,576 (3.11%) over the current year.
“We’re trying to trim as much as we can,” said Elliott Garcia, Assistant Superintendent for Business, during his budget summary.
Two additional propositions are included on the ballot, both anticipating a bond issue to fund repairs, renovations and improvements to school buildings.
Proposition 2 would bring repair to the Middle and High School buildings, with more work at the middle school estimated to cost $37,381,383. Work would include HVAC, electrical, window replacement, roof and ceiling repair, elevator service and doorway improvements.
The high school work would include HVAC at a total estimated cost of $1,883,099.
The total amount would, however, be reduced by $12 million in currently available funding, so that a bond issue would be needed to cover a total of $27,264,482, to be repaid over a number of years. Taxpayers would need to pay the annual interest on the bonds during the life of the bonds.
Separate funding of energy efficiency improvements at the middle school and high school would carry at total estimated cost of $3 million that would also need to be bond-financed, but that funding would return to the school budget in the form of energy cost savings.
Proposition 3 would bring HVAC, electrical and window replacement at the elementary schools at an estimated cost of $21,779,259, also to be financed by bond issue.
Students from the Middle School Student Council presented a report on a recent survey they conducted and analyzed. Their report was titled, “Repair Our School.”
For their building conditions study, the nine students conducted an in-school survey of students, teachers and staff, receiving 228 responses.
Interpreting the responses as percentages, the students reported that 90% indicated that the middle school does not look as good as it could; more than 80% said they were concerned about the state of the building; 67% had classes interrupted by roof leaks; 75% said it was difficult to learn because of the roof leaks; and 94% said that if the school were their home, they would not stay.
“Our student government never stops working,” said Principal Steven Cabello, adding that the students’ efforts have been invigorating.
School superintendent Caroline Hernandez-Pidala praised the students’ project, the time and care invested in their survey study and their reporting of the results.
“I’m super impressed,” Hernandez-Pidala told the students.
The May 20 polling location is at the Middle School, in the Band room adjacent to the auditorium. Polls will be open between noon and 9 p.m.
The proposed budget, details of the propositions and a copy of the ballot are posted on the CSD website at www.millbrookcsd.org.
Voters in two other school districts will decide on higher spending plans for the coming school year on Tuesday, May 20.
Webutuck Central School District and Pine Plains Central School District propose higher K-12 budgets for the 2025-2026 school year.
The proposed budget for Webutuck, with an enrollment of 637 students from K-12, shows a 5.96% increase from the previous year to $28,665,850. Pine Plains proposes spending $38,712,336, an increase of 2.71%.
Ray Nelson, Earthwise Architecture, requested two variances for 7-9 Main St., one to allow a 9-unit floorplan and another to waive the parking requirements for the building, at a public hearing held by the village Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday, May 6.
MILLERTON — Ray Nelson of Millerton presented two possible updated floorplans for the apartment building at 7-9 Main St. to the Zoning Board of Appeals at a public hearing on Tuesday, May 6.
Nelson, on behalf of the building’s owner, is seeking two variances for the property: one allowing a density increase and another waiving the parking requirements for the property.
Village code requires at least 5,000 square feet of lot space per unit for multi-unit properties and 1.5 parking spaces per unit.
The building was configured with 12 units under previous ownership, a non-conforming use.
Nelson submitted a 9-unit plan and a 6-unit plan. He argues the 9-unit plan, which would house one fewer total bedroom than the 6-unit layout, would not require additional parking because the smaller units attract tenants that use fewer parking spaces — young couples, single people and very small families.
“There’s a need for apartments that are in the village,” Nelson said.
The submitted 9-unit floorplan is a reduction from a previously declined 12-unit plan that sought to maintain the current number of units in the property.
Zoning board members concluded the public hearing after brief discussion with the three Millerton residents that attended the meeting.
Zoning board members could not reach a final decision on the variances that night, citing required further deliberation, but they indicated a positive attitude to Nelson’s new plans.
Ralph Fedele with Mary Leitch, 103, who attended the one-room Irondale Schoolhouse until it closed and she moved on to Millerton High School.
MILLERTON — The Irondale Schoolhouse will celebrate its opening day on Saturday, May 24, when it will ring in its eleventh summer season with the old school bell.
Lemonade and cookies will be provided for visitors. A history exhibit is on display inside the schoolhouse and there will be a formal unveiling of a plaque commemorating membership in the Country Schools of America, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the memory of country schools.
The Irondale Schoolhouse is an 1850s one-room schoolhouse that served the Irondale community until 1930. It was moved in 2013 to Millerton to serve as a public information and visitor center managed by the Friends of the Irondale Schoolhouse.
The Schoolhouse will be open throughout the summer on Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A team of docents will be on hand during these times to share knowledge and stories of early rural education At irondaleschool.org a short video shows how the Schoolhouse was rescued from destruction, carefully restored, and moved to its present location.
Over the years, under the leadership of Ralph Fedele, the Irondale Schoolhouse Board has worked to maintain the building, staff the docent team, and host special children’s events.
It also has raised for annual local school scholarships. This year, $2,000 awards will be given out to each of two winning applicants.
Some of this year’s activities include:
— Wednesday, May 14, and Thursday, May 15: Webutuck School Students field trip — “A Day in the Life of a One-Room School”
— Sunday, June 8: National Children’s Day/Ice-Cream Social & Hoola-Hoop Competition
Board members of the Friends of the Irondale Schools House are: Catherine Fenn, President; Claire Goodman, Vice President; Dick Hermans, Treasurer; Shannon Olsen, Secretary; Ralph Fedele, President Ex Officio, Docent; Rob Cooper, Maintenance; John Brunese, Scholarship Program; John Hicks, Docent; Lisa Cope, Communications & Events; Alicia Sartori, Communications; Stone Scasso, Maintenance.