The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Winsted zoning panel approves medical pot dispensary
WINSTED — The Planning & Zoning Commission approved the creation of a medical marijuana dispensary in the former KFC restaurant at 100 New Hartford Road Monday evening, moving the matter to be considered at the state level.
Bristol-based attorney Timothy Furey submitted an application for the project Feb. 8 on behalf of 100 New Hartford LLC and appeared before the commission to discuss it Monday.
He offered fresh plans for the structure that included new signs, which would read “Northwest CT Live Well Center,” as well as an additional study of the property.
Furey indicated that the minutes of the Feb. 26 meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission provided an excellent overview of the project.
Among other aspects of the proposal, the minutes note that patients would come to the dispensary by appointment, limiting traffic to a maximum of 16 people per hour; a security plan would be enacted to include a series of cameras and an alarm system; and approximately five employees would work at the dispensary.
The site is suitable, he said — away from the main road and residential areas.
“This is medicine, and it’s more highly-regulated than your local pharmacy that, on the other side of that counter, (has) stuff you can get at that’s much more addictive and problematic than what we have here,” said Furey.
The Department of Consumer Protection is planning to establish three to 10 additional medical marijuana dispensaries statewide. Furey said that his group anticipated that approximately 100 applications could be submitted.
“It is our belief that location will be a factor for at least some of the permits this time, and this section of the state does not have a dispensary,” said Furey.
During Monday’s hearing, Winsted resident Michael DeClement said he was in favor of the idea, and had previously received medical marijuana as a patient in California. He was concerned about the location, however, because of its proximity to schools, and the potential for security issues.
“I feel this site is anything but low-profile. I don’t know how many school buses pass by that site — kids are smart, kids are observant. It’s like, ‘Hey, there’s the pot place,’” said DeClement. “I don’t know how I feel — if that’s really important.”
DeClement suggested that the possibility of marijuana legalization in Massachusetts could affect the longterm viability of the site.
Furey said that effort was not particularly far along, and the dispensary would provide medicine, as opposed to a recreational drug.
He also said that the preliminary security plan had been reviewed by Police Chief William Fitzgerald, who had assented to it and requested to be involved in finalizing it later.
Furey said the place would not draw undue attention. Such dispensaries are not allowed to advertise their association with marijuana or drug paraphernalia, he said.
“This is a very low-profile thing,” said Furey. “The experience in the state is, as I said, these are low-profile, unless you know it’s there and are registered to go there, you really don’t notice it.”
The Planning & Zoning Commission approved the application 4-1, with board member Jerry Martinez against. The Department of Consumer Protection would have to grant a license for the proposed dispensary for it to become reality.
The dispensary will be barred from opening before 9 a.m. or operating after 8 a.m., according to conditions in the zoning commission’s motion Monday.
This is the second time the Planning & Zoning Commission has considered an application for a dispensary at this location. The body approved another such proposal in March 2014, according to past reports.
The state did not approve the project in April 2014, choosing instead to authorize six other facilities in Connecticut.
The state Department of Consumer Protection issued request for applications to open new dispensaries in January.
The number of patients has increased dramatically in recent years, according to Lora Rae Anderson, director of communications with the department.
When the last round of licenses was granted in January 2016, about 8,000 patients were receiving medical marijuana, according to Anderson.
As of March 11, there were 23,987 medical marijuana patients in the state, according to the department — down from 24,096 as of Feb. 18.
This includes 1,424 people in Litchfield County. The county has no dispensary, and the closest facilities are in Waterbury and Bristol.