NJ legal weed: Ocean Township endorses first cannabis cultivator
OCEAN TOWNSHIP - A West Orange company wants to set up a manufacturing and cultivation enterprise for recreational cannabis on 11 acres of vacant land behind the Seaview Square mall.
It's the first company to seek a license in the municipality since the Township Council approved four classes of recreational cannabis businesses to operate here in August.
The council endorsed the company Illicit Extracts for the two licenses at 1700 Brielle Ave. last week, as required by the state's Cannabis Regulatory Commission, which requires companies show "proof of local support in their applications," to be considered for a license.
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If Illicit Extracts is approved by the state, it will still need the town's Planning Board approval.
The council OK'd the company by way of a 4-to-1 vote.
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Deputy Mayor John Napolitani said recreational cannabis is the "way of the future," and the industry will create "numerous jobs and revenue," for the town.
"We'd be completely shortsighted if we didn't consider cannabis here. Why let other towns gain all the revenue?" Napolitani said.
Napolitani said he toured a medical cannabis cultivation site and based on that, he was comfortable with Illicit Extract's proposal.
New Jersey voters approved recreational cannabis use in the 2020 election, and in February last year Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill that legalized the drug for use for adults 21 years and older.
Since then, several municipalities at the Shore have set up zones for recreation cannabis at the Shore, while a great deal more placed bans.
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The "no" vote on the township's council came from Councilman Robert Acerra Sr., who doesn't see enough benefit from recreational cannabis businesses and at the very least, would have liked to have had more options than the one company.
Illicit Extracts was the only company that applied during the town's request for proposals, which was open from Dec. 15 until Jan. 5, Township Administrator David Brown II confirmed.
"There's a lot of overpromising. I don't think the revenue is going to be worth it and I don't think we need it in town because there's going to more than enough facilities elsewhere," Acerra said.
Illicit Extracts filed as a limited liability corporation in December, according to the New Jersey Department of Treasury's website.
In August, the council approved four classes of recreational cannabis businesses: cultivator, manufacturer, wholesaler and distributor. Licenses for recreational cannabis retailer and delivery were prohibited.
The town will collect $10,000 in license fees for cultivator and manufacturer, and $5,000 for wholesaler and distributor licenses. Illicit Extracts would pay $10,000 each for the two licenses its seeking. There is also a 2% tax on sales for cultivators, distributors, and manufacturers and a 1% tax on sales for wholesalers.
The town permits just one license for each of the businesses to operate in select zones.
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ legal weed: Ocean Township endorses first cannabis cultivator
