Residents speak out against proposal for first cannabis store in Stratford

STRATFORD — Residents are urging the Stratford Zoning Commission to vote down a proposal to open the town’s first cannabis dispensary on Stratford Avenue.

The residents argue the proposed store, which would sell recreational and medical marijuana, could draw a flood of cars to the South End site and harm the quality of life for residents in the surrounding neighborhood.

“I have an issue with the location,” Marvelle Jones, a longtime Taft Street resident, told the commission during Thursday’s public hearing. “It is in the proximity of five apartment buildings with a multitude of families and children. There are children walking home from school, there are families there. I think it’s a poor idea.”

Verano, A Chicagobased company that operates more than 100 dispensaries across the country, is proposing to convert a 6,600-square-foot commercial building at 1151 Stratford Avenue into an adult-use cannabis retailer.

The company is the first to apply for a chance to open a hybrid cannabis store in Stratford since state lawmakers legalized recreational marijuana in 2021. The first retail sales began earlier this year in a handful of towns and cities.

Site plans show company officials plan to gut much of the building’s interior to make way for a 653-square-foot sales floor with at least seven different places to ring up customers. Like other dispensaries, the building would feature a reception area where employees can check customer IDs.

Under the proposal, the dispensary would be served by an existing 39space parking lot that wraps around the building, which is currently home to a beauty store that would be replaced by the dispensary if approved.

A traffic study commissioned by Verano found the new cannabis store could generate up to 125 vehicle trips during peak hours.

The dispensary would also employ up to 40 people and be open to customers between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, according to company officials.

At the public hearing, eight residents voiced concerns about the proposed store. Among other issues, the speakers said they were worried the dispensary could negatively impact their home values — a claim Verano officials said was not backed by any evidence.

Town Council member Kaitlyn Shake, whose district borders the proposed site, argued the roadway is already teeming with businesses, including a pair of breweries. She suggested Verano look for an alternative site for the dispensary.

“We do have other areas in Stratford that are not adjacent to residential areas,” she said.

The town’s cannabis regulations, which largely mirror the existing medical-marijuana rules, restrict dispensaries to certain business and retail zoning districts, including the proposed Stratford Avenue site. The local rules, which were approved last year, also limit the total number of recreational marijuana retail facilities in town to just two shops.

Anthony Marsico, an executive vice president for Verano, said the company chose the proposed site due to its close proximity to Interstate 95, the existing parking lot and strict zoning restrictions. He argued the dispensary will bring in significant tax revenue for the town and could help boost neighboring stores.

“Dispensaries are overwhelmingly sought as a kind of a destination,” Marsico said. “The idea is folks are going to come visit our dispensary and hopefully shop at or have lunch at some of the nearby businesses.”

Marsico also sought to ease concerns from residents. He noted that virtually every square inch of the store will be under video surveillance, all of the products will be stored in a locked vault, cannabis consumption will not be allowed on site and every customer will be required to present an ID before entering.

“I can assure you that someone underage is not going to walk into our dispensary,” he said. “There’s too many checks and balances. It doesn’t happen. You cannot bring a child into a dispensary.”

The zoning commission has not yet voted on the proposal. The five-member board plans to give the public another opportunity to voice their support or opposition to the store during a yet-to-be scheduled meeting sometime in March.