Morris Township Committee introduces cannabis zoning and regulation ordinances after hours of public comment

The Morris Township Committee on Feb. 19 introduced two companion ordinances to allow and regulate cannabis businesses in a limited overlay zone and set a public hearing for March 19, 2025, after more than two hours of public comment from residents and business owners.

Supporters and opponents told the committee the decision matters for safety, local business health and municipal revenues. Committee members said introduction lets the public testify at the March hearing and that final decisions will follow that process.

The ordinances introduced are a zoning amendment to add a cannabis business overlay zone and a regulatory ordinance that would set local conditions for cannabis businesses if the township approves licenses. Committee members said the overlay limits cannabis uses to a defined area east of Ridgedale Avenue between Ridgedale Avenue and Route 287, and that retail operations would be subject to local licensing and conditions. The committee also noted a 2% local tax on gross receipts in the draft regulations to be dedicated to municipal projects.

Residents pressed committee members on buffer distances, traffic, crime and impacts on nearby businesses and schools. Carl Badenhausen, representing the Evergreen Association and tenants on Riddell Avenue, said he was concerned that the draft ordinance’s buffers were too small: "Other towns allow a thousand foot buffer to residential. The way the current ordinance reads is 500 feet. The current ordinance states 250 feet buffer from a school," he said. John Brower, a Ridgedale Avenue business owner, told the committee the available Ridgedale parcels are small and questioned allowing cultivation and processing: "I was a little surprised to see that the ordinance included not only dispensaries or distributors, but also cultivation and processing," he said.

Committee members and staff repeatedly emphasized procedural points: the ordinances were introduced only to allow the required public hearing and master-plan consistency review by the planning board, and no final approvals have been made. The committee said each applicant who applies for a local license would undergo a review process and the township could reject applications that fail to meet local standards. A committee member summarized the process: "Just because we are allowing licenses doesn't mean that we approve them," and added that the township will open an application window, then review submissions through an appointed committee.

Several speakers raised the state-level limits that affect local control. A committee member noted that delivery of cannabis to residences is allowed under state law and cannot be blocked by municipalities, describing it as similar to a food delivery service for regulatory purposes.

Committee members also said public safety agencies participated in the cannabis advisory process. The mayor noted that the police chief sat on the advisory board and that public-safety concerns were considered during earlier advisory meetings. Residents questioned potential police workload and traffic; the committee said the police department has been involved in the advisory process and that security and no-consumption-on-premises rules, and license penalties for violations, are part of the regulatory framework.

Next steps: both ordinances were introduced by unanimous roll-call votes (recorded as yes votes by voting committee members), published in accordance with statutory notice requirements, and a public hearing and final consideration were scheduled for the March 19, 2025 township committee meeting. The committee said an overlay map and advisory materials will be posted on the township website ahead of that hearing so residents can review the proposed geographic limits and regulatory text.

Residents seeking details were directed to a report and video of the cannabis advisory board online and told that the committee will consider written and oral comment at the March hearing.

Votes at a glance: the committee recorded roll-call votes introducing the ordinances; introduction enables the required public hearing and further review but is not final approval.