Cannabis, leaf blowers on first selectman agenda
ROXBURY — Roxbury First Selectman Patrick Roy, who replaced First Selectman Barbara Henry who retired after 24 years, had his first Board of Selectmen meeting this past week and leaf blowers and cannabis were among the top items on the agenda.
One of the new, popular debates among community leaders throughout Connecticut is whether gaspowered leaf blowers should be banned in their city or town.
There are environmental concerns with the gas-powered machines because they use a combination of gasoline and oil to power the internal combustion engine. Another concern is the noise pollution associated with the leaf blowers, especially when there are multiple leaf blowers being used at the same time in the same area.
Roy saw the statewide debate going on with leaf blowers and decided to put it on the agenda to get an early discussion started.
“This was on the agenda so we could use an open discussion and be transparent so we could all be more educated with this issue,” Roy said. “What it comes down to is the issue of the exhaust from leaf blowers with two-cycle engines (using gas and oil) as opposed to battery-powered leaf blowers.
“We are partnering with the Conservation Commission so we can get more awareness from them and see what options are best for the town. Right now there no plans to use an ordinance to ban leaf blowers in Roxbury
in the near future.”
Another item on the agenda that was important to Roy was Connecticut’s recent cannabis legislation that he believes needs to be addressed locally.
In June, Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law legislation that legalizes and regulates the adult use of cannabis in Connecticut. The law took effect on July 1 allowing for possession of cannabis among adults aged 21 and over. The law also made it legal for homegrown cannabis and retail sales of marijuana will be allowed by the end of 2022.
According to the state’s website, local municipality officials can control the number and locations of cannabis retailers through zoning. Municipalities can also determine where smoked or vaped cannabis can be consumed (city parks or beaches, sidewalks, streets, etc.). Cannabis use is prohibited in state parks, state beaches, and on state waters.
“We’re a small town and the decision we make regarding cannabis has to be done together as a community,” Roy said. “In January, on a date we still need to determine, we will have an open public hearing for residents to voice any concerns.
“When it comes to cannabis we are looking at three main items to address. We’re looking at commercial growing of cannabis, the commercial sale of cannabis and smoking cannabis on town property. At this point, we just want to start a public discussion and see what everyone’s views are regarding cannabis.”