The Zoning Commission announced on March 25 that it would form a subcommittee to study not just the retail marijuana regulations in town but all the approved uses in the Neighborhood Commercial District NCD. The members of the committee have not been named yet.

In the fall of 2023, the Zoning Commission debated forming a subcommittee to study the impacts of retail marijuana in Westbrook but decided to wait until the issues surrounding the potential store proposed for Route One were settled.

At a meeting on March 25, commission Chairman Harry Ruppenicker said that there was interest in the commission forming a subcommittee aimed not just at studying retail marijuana, but all the regulations concerning the NCD as a whole.

Westbrook Town Planner Peter Gillespie said the NCD regulations need to be studied more because the zone was expanded three years ago.

“This goes back to 2021, which was the most recent time the Plan of Conservation and Development was updated. As part of that, the NCD was made bigger,” Gillespie said.

Currently, the NCD runs from about the Old Saybrook town line to the town center, where it breaks, then resumes from the town hall to about the Clinton town line.

“It includes Route 1, but in a couple of areas, it goes into residential neighborhoods,” Gillespie said.

The juxtaposition of a zone that includes both a well-traveled commercial center in Route 1 and quiet residential neighborhoods can create some difficulties when devising regulations regarding the kinds of uses allowed in the zone.

“It’s been a concern that the concept of the NCD has changed. In theory, businesses would be permitted in residential areas that fall in the zone, and I don’t know that people realize that,” Gillespie said.

As an example, Gillespie pointed to the recent case of the proposed retail marijuana store in town. In early 2023, the Zoning Commission approved an application allowing a retail marijuana shop at 755 Boston Post Road. The move was controversial to some in town, partiality those who lived in beach communities in the NCD near the proposed site.

Members of the public expressed concerns about increased traffic, fear of increased crime, and potential illegal parking in the residential streets surrounding the business.

The application and its approval were subsequently withdrawn in early 2024, but the questions about the appropriate uses of the NCD raised by the application remain.

To address the concerns, Ruppenicker said a subcommittee will be formed that would include representatives from the Zoning Commission, the Planning Commission, the Economic Development Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Council of Beaches.

Gillespie said the mix of people from various perspectives will be tasked with hashing out potential changes to the regulations.

“We want to make sure that what is permitted we all agree on. We want a variety of opinions and perspectives on the committee,” Gillespie said.

Gillespie said the subcommittee will be formed as the relevant main boards and commission meet and nominate members. Once the committee is formed, meeting agendas will be posted, and meetings will be open to the public, Gillespie said.