Fayetteville hearing on cannabis law opens

VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – The Fayetteville Village Board opened a public hearing on Monday concerning a local law amending a zoning chapter related to the operation regulations for cannabis retail facilities.
Providing background for that legislation, Village Attorney Ted Spencer mentioned that New York State legalized the possession and consumption of cannabis in 2021.
After that legalization, local municipalities were given an opportunity to opt out of allowing on-site consumption, retail marijuana facilities or both.
The village of Fayetteville left that decision to the residents, and voters then okayed the presence of licensed retail facilities that would sell cannabis products but denied on-site consumption lounges.
Guided by the provisions of the New York Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, Fayetteville’s drafted local law calls for all activities associated with the adult-use cannabis establishments to be conducted indoors. The facilities would also not be allowed to open their doors before 9 a.m. or stay open past 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and on Sundays they would be prohibited from opening before noon or remaining open after 6 p.m.
The proposed law also specifies that the lot on which one of the establishments is located cannot be situated within 500 feet of the lot lines for any schools, within 500 feet of residentially zoned areas or public recreation areas, or within 200 feet of properties containing houses of worship. The cannabis retail dispensaries cannot be located within 1,500 feet of another dispensary of the sort either.
Individuals looking to open up one of these retail facilities in Fayetteville’s traditional business district, contemporary business district or Limestone Plaza district would first have to acquire a special permit and site plan approval from the village’s planning board.
No one in the audience spoke during the May 8 public hearing on cannabis retail, so it was paused for the night but kept open. It will continue at the next meeting scheduled for May 22 in case anyone not able to make it to the village hall that evening still wished to share their thoughts on the matter.
In other news
Jason Cassalia, the interim chief of the Town of Manlius Police Department, stopped by the May 8 Fayetteville board of trustees meeting to formally introduce himself, just as he has in front of the other two village boards within the town.
The visits have given Cassalia a chance to greet the mayors again, better acquaint himself with the trustees, and connect with others. He started with the town’s police department as an explorer in 1996 and came on as an officer in 1991.
“I’m really excited to be back,” Cassalia said. “It’s good to see familiar faces.”
He said his agency prides itself on being a “community-based” law enforcement organization that measures its success based on integrity and service that exceeds expectations.
Cassalia said his department will work with the village to do whatever can be done to ensure safety, security and the quality of life that brings people to Fayetteville.
Later in the meeting, Trustee Mark Matt said the Earth Fest held on April 29 brought in close to 900 attendees. He thanked the 40-plus vendors and the volunteers and dignitaries for making the event what it was as well as Fayetteville’s department of public works for readying Canal Landing Park in advance.