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Egg Harbor City Council introduces amendment to redevelopment plan for 801 Philadelphia Ave. to allow certain cannabis uses
Summary
The council introduced amendments to the redevelopment plan for 801 Philadelphia Avenue to permit specified cannabis-related activities and to align local requirements with recent state statutes; the ordinance was introduced for public hearing with advertising set for March 19 and a public hearing on April 10.
Egg Harbor City Council on Monday introduced an ordinance amending the redevelopment plan for 801 Philadelphia Avenue to permit certain cannabis-related uses and to update conditional-use and screening requirements to match changed state law.
City attorney Elena Hyatt, who reviewed edits to the draft, told the council the changes clarify which statutory classes and local code provisions apply and remove inappropriate references to ad-hoc agreements. "We want to make sure the redevelopment plan reflects the statute and treats all businesses equally," Hyatt said.
The amendment updates a prior medical-cannabis–era plan that contained provisions now inconsistent with the current recreational and licensing framework, members said. Under the proposed amendment the property owner would still need to meet conditional-use requirements and any applicable redevelopment-plan standards such as screening and fencing; Hyatt cautioned that some conditional terms (for example, a 10-foot fence) should be reviewed to avoid imposing impossible conditions on a future applicant.
Council members asked staff to refine language on screening, conditional uses and cross-references to existing city code before adoption. The ordinance will be advertised March 19 and scheduled for a public hearing and possible adoption on April 10, 2025. The council voted to introduce the ordinance by roll call; the introduction does not itself authorize construction or licensing and leaves open subsequent, ordinance-specific hearings and any necessary amendments to local license procedures.
The council and attorney also discussed how the redevelopment plan should reference the city's existing tax and licensing ordinances so that future applicants understand revenue-sharing and local license amendment processes. Hyatt recommended additional edits to ensure the plan does not require unrealistic site conditions and advised staff to clarify a local procedure for amending existing cannabis licenses if a business seeks to add a permitted use.
Next steps include finalizing the ordinance text, publishing the required legal notice, and holding the public hearing; council members said they expect to review and potentially revise specific screening and conditional-use language before a final adoption vote.
