The town's zoning officials are entering a discussion regarding amending zoning regulations to address state-licensed production and dispensary distribution of medical marijuana.

Currently, North Branford zoning law includes a one-year moratorium, which expires in June 2018, on applications for medical marijuana dispensaries to operate in town. In the coming weeks, the Planning and Zoning Commission will not only revisit the moratorium, but discuss the possibility of amending zoning regulations to define rules for what North Branford would require to allow a licensed medical marijuana dispensary to operate here; and what it would take for a licensed medical marijuana production facility to operate as an industry in town.

Town Planner Carey Duques said that, to date, the town has not received applications for either a marijuana dispensary or a medical marijuana production facility. But, given the state’s ability to license both and the fact that the state has announced it will license at least three new dispensaries this year, as well as the town's current moratorium period drawing to a close, North Branford needs to explore amending zoning regulations to have answers in place.

Before the state will award an applicant a license to operate a proposed medical marijuana dispensary or a growing production facility, town zoning approval is first required to have been granted to the applicant.

In January, the CT Department of Consumer Protection (CDCP) announced it was seeking applications through April 9 for three new medical marijuana dispensaries in Connecticut, marking the first increase in the program since the initial nine licenses were awarded in 2014. Branford is one of the nine towns statewide with an active dispensary, Blue Point Wellness of CT.

The CDCP has four currently licensed growing facilities including those in Watertown, Portland, Simsbury and West Haven. The state does not allow outdoor grow facilities, only a “secured indoor facility,” said Duques. No plans have been announced yet regarding additional licensing for new facilities.

Duques said she’s researching other towns’ zoning laws to help bring pertinent information to the PZC for discussion. Factors the town may want to adopt may include limiting the number of operations allowed, requiring distances from sensitive locations, and applying for Special Use/Special Exception permits.

Duques said the PZC is only in the consideration stage of the process at this time, but is expected to file an application in the coming weeks to amend town zoning regulations regarding state-licensed medical marijuana growing production facilities and dispensary distribution facilities.

Once a text amendment application is filed, a public hearing date will be set to gather more input before the language can be finalized and adopted as new zoning law.