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Attorney outlines plan to convert monument shop to adult‑use cannabis dispensary; board reserves decision

Town of Babylon Planning Board · November 18, 2024

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Summary

Kevin O’Brien, counsel for the applicant, presented plans to convert a monument retail storefront at 1300 Wellwood Avenue into an adult‑use cannabis dispensary; the board closed the informational hearing and reserved decision while the applicant pursues a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Kevin O’Brien of O’Brien Law PC represented an applicant seeking to convert an existing monument/retail storefront at 1300 Wellwood Avenue into an adult‑use cannabis dispensary. O’Brien told the Planning Board the site footprint will not change and the applicant has reviewed the Planning Commissioner’s Nov. 13 memorandum and agreed to the listed conditions.

O’Brien said design professionals (Graham Associates) prepared plans and that the applicant will seek a special permit and any nominal parking variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals. He described proposed hours of operation (10 AM–9 PM Monday–Saturday; 10 AM–8 PM Sundays), said the site has no proximate schools or playgrounds and that delivery operations would use van‑sized vehicles. On security, O’Brien said licensed dispensaries typically have security personnel (often retired/off‑duty officers), and that overnight product is stored in an on‑site vault.

Board members asked about payment processing and state banking for cannabis businesses. Counsel explained that the state works through recommended banking vendors (he cited Dime Savings Bank as an example) that aggregate merchant proceeds before remittance to the state and municipalities. Counsel also explained the state’s seed‑to‑sale tracking protocol, referring to a system called "BioTrac" used to track product from cultivation to sale.

No members of the public addressed the board during the informational hearing. The board closed the hearing and reserved decision; the applicant will proceed to the Zoning Board of Appeals for the special permit and any required variances.