Pissed off civic leaders in central Queens are opposing any proposed licensed hashish retailers of their neighborhoods till authorities padlock all of the unlawful ones.
“The Board obtained quite a few considerations from residents relating to the proliferation of unlawful smoke retailers already working in our district and the adverse impression these institutions have had on our group,” Sherry Algredo, chairwoman of Group Board 9 masking Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and Woodhaven, informed state regulators in a latest letter.
“Consequently, the Board is not going to assist any new purposes till these unlawful operations are shut down,” Algredo wrote, based on the missive to New York’s Workplace of Hashish Administration.
Below the state legislation legalizing marijuana, candidates for hashish licenses should notify and seem earlier than the group board of the neighborhood wherein they search to open store.
Although the boards’ suggestions are advisory to state regulators, they nonetheless wield affect.
The Publish visited quite a few suspected illegal cannabis locations final week after New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul held a victory lap press convention hailing a more durable state legislation making it simpler to padlock unlicensed hashish retailers.
Enforcement beneath the brand new legislation has not taken place but.
Many illicit pot retailers instantly reopened after raids and non permanent shutdown orders beneath the much-maligned prior guidelines.
“We now have 32 unlawful hashish retailers. We aren’t going to entertain any purposes for authorized hashish retailers till the unlicensed shops are shut down,” mentioned CB 9 District Supervisor James McClelland to The Publish.
Metropolis officers hinted that the promised crackdown on unlawful spots may happen this week and embody potential raids on dozens of areas.
Metropolis Sheriff Anthony Miranda mentioned hashish cops raided “20 to 25” unlicensed pot retailers final week beneath the prior guidelines — together with the “Gelato” retailer in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, highlighted in final Sunday’s Publish, the place a defiant employee goaded authorities to close them down.
“We picked it up,” Miranda mentioned. “We’re not going to cease.
“We’re taking a methodical and systemic method to cleansing up the unlawful retailers.”
Metropolis officers estimated that there are greater than 2,000 illicit weed and smoke retailers all through the 5 boroughs, so that they have a lot work to do.
The town’s 59 group boards have been reviewing a whole bunch of individuals making use of for state hashish licenses — and lots of the native leaders are cautious of packing too many even authorized pot shops of their neighborhoods, citing quality-of-life considerations not not like these raised in regards to the unlawful shops.
Critics have complained about every part from the odor to fears that the merchandise would possibly entice children.
Group Board 13 in southern Brooklyn, which incorporates Coney Island Brighton Seashore, Coney Island, Gravesend, and Sea Gate, mentioned it opposed all six present purposes — principally alongside Surf and Neptune avenues — primarily due to location.
Below the legislation, licensed hashish dispensaries can’t be positioned inside 500 ft of a faculty or 200 ft from a home of worship. Just one authorized pot retailer might be positioned inside a 1,000-foot radius.
Group Board 6 in The Bronx — masking Bathgate, Belmont, East Tremont, and West Farms — opposed all of its purposes, most citing violations of the location-based guidelines.
The state hashish management board is ready to fulfill Friday over imposing the brand new state legislation, which permits native authorities to padlock unlawful shops pending closing administrative appeals.
