Land use board asks council to place retail cannabis referendum on November ballot

The Hopatcong Land Use Board voted to request that the borough council place a question on the November ballot asking voters whether retail cannabis sales should be permitted within the borough. The board’s motion, made during a lengthy discussion on buffers and retail-only limits, passed on a recorded voice vote.

Board member (speaker 6) moved that the board “request from the council for a referendum for the purpose of seeing if the people…would like cannabis sold within the borough on a retail basis,” and the motion was seconded and approved. During debate members emphasized that the referendum would not by itself set zoning rules: “If that passes, then we can proceed with the specifics,” a board member said, noting that land-use regulations (including sensitive-area buffers) would be determined by the land use board and council after the vote.

Members discussed standard buffers, with one participant observing a 1,000-foot standard from parks, schools and churches used elsewhere. The board signaled it intends the referendum to be a question of voter preference rather than a binding zoning map; several members said they expect subsequent detailed regulations to limit retail sales near sensitive uses. The board asked municipal staff and the municipal attorney to draft the ballot language and forward it to the clerk for placement on the November ballot.