Proposed Cannabis Ban At Tolland Parks On Oct. 12 Council Agenda

TOLLAND, CT — The Tolland Town Council is to discuss changes to the municipal code that could outlaw cannabis in pubic parks.

The discussion is on the agenda for a hybrid meeting is slated for Oct. 2 at 7 pm. at the Hicks Center.

The topic was first Brough tot the table at an Aug. 25, 2021 joint meeting of the council and Planning and Zoning Commission. Town officials said that, although the state's Cannabis Statute allows for either the Town Council or the Planning and Zoning Commission to bring forth revisions to either the Code or Regulations, it was decided that the Town Council would be responsible for the any revisions to the Town Ordinances and the Planning and Zoning Commission would provide revisions for the Zoning Regulations.

The council is considering changing the Ordinance in Chapter 112, Parks and Recreation Areas (§ 112-5 – Park regulations), to include the prohibition of smoking, consumption of cannabis and cannabis edibles in a park or town-owned or a town-operated recreational area.

The proposed change to the ordinance includes prohibition of all types of smoking in parks and town recreational areas and also includes the prohibition of the use or consumption of cannabis.

Several communities across the State have either implemented moratoriums for the sale and growing of cannabis and have also approved changes to ordinances regarding the use on town property.

The town attorney has partially reviewed the proposed ordinance and is in the process of a deeper review, officials said.