Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
South River council advances cannabis ordinances after extended public hearing; zoning amendment sent to land‑use board
Summary
After a lengthy public hearing with dozens of residents, the council voted to adopt an ordinance allowing regulated cannabis activity (Ordinance 2025‑2) and to amend fee provisions (Ordinance 2025‑3); a zoning amendment tied to cannabis (Ordinance 2025‑4) was referred to the land‑use board for review.
The South River mayor and council held an extended public hearing on multiple cannabis‑related ordinances on Feb. 3, receiving broad public comment and then taking formal action on two measures while referring a zoning change to the land‑use board.
Ordinance 2025‑2 (chapter 120, “Cannabis”) and Ordinance 2025‑3 (amending chapter 155, fees associated with cannabis licenses) were on the agenda. Ordinance 2025‑4 (zoning amendments related to cannabis) was placed on the agenda but council members agreed to send it to the land‑use board for consideration.
Public commenters voiced strong and divided opinions. Father David Garretson (153 Cam Avenue), a longtime resident and clergy member, told the council he opposed retail cannabis and described the measures as “one of the most egregious misuses of our rights” and morally objectionable. “You are using a weakness and an addiction issue,” he said, warning of…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
