Rec Pot Officially Coming To Canton After PZC Vote

CANTON, CT — A Glastonbury resident who was once honored by "High Times" magazine as a top "Woman of Weed" will now open a legal recreational pot dispensary in Canton.

In a marathon meeting that ended at 11:41 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, the Canton Planning Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a special permit for Glastonbury-based Slap Ash LLC to open a recreational pot store in an old bank building in town.

The decision comes after an extensive public hearing before the PZC that started Jan. 18, continued to Feb. 21 and was finally closed before Wednesday's vote.

The application was somewhat controversial, with many residents expressing concern about having a legal pot dealer in town.

But the PZC is a legal enforcer of zoning regulations and, given the location and legalities of the operation, it couldn't vote "no" because people oppose it.

As a result, the old Bank of America site at 195 Albany Turnpike (Route 44) will now be a place for folks to buy their legal recreational pot products later this year.

According to project documents, the marijuana seller would be located in the Canton Village Design Village District.

According to Hartford-based attorney Daniel S. Glissman, who is representing the applicants, the project is being pitched by company owners Ashley Vaughn and Glastonbury native Amanda Ostrowitz.

Glissman said both are licensed with the State of Connecticut to sell recreation pot.

Ostrowitz, according to Glissman, was a 2018 "Woman of Weed" recipient by High Times magazine and in the High Times' "Top 50 Women in Cannabis" in 2019.

She's a nationally renowned expert on cannibis regulatory issues, according to Glissman.

In fact, Glissman wrote to the town, Ostrowitz is the founder of CannaRegs, a firm that works with cannabis operators regarding cannabis law and local government operators.

Vaugn, meanwhile, manages the assets of a real estate services company and will act as a business manager for the operation, according to Glissman's narrative on the project submitted to the town.

The property, Glissman said, is in a commercial corridor and is in a 3,042-square-foot, standalone building with 21 parking spaces.

It is a corner lot on Albany Turnpike and Canton Valley Circle, he wrote.

"The applicant is committed to developing a best-in-class cannabis retailer in Canton in a secure and compliant setting," wrote Glissman of the applicants.

For all documents and information regarding the cannabis retailer application, click on this link.

To read Glissman's project narrative on the pot dispensary, click on this link.

To watch the March 1 Canton Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.