'Our Quality Of Life Is Not For Sale': Bridgewater On Pot Ban

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — In an effort to protect Bridgewater's quality of life the mayor and council have advanced four ordinances to essentially prohibit marijuana dispensaries from coming to the township, prohibiting the sale of marijuana in town and smoking on public property within the township.

The Bridgewater council unanimously voted to pass the first reading of the four ordinances regarding marijuana on Thursday.

"Our quality of life is not for sale and it should never be for sale and we should do everything we can to possibly protect what we have," said Bridgewater Council President Filipe Pedroso.

Multiple statements from the public were sent into the meeting beforehand and read into the record. There was a mix of opinions with some saying the ordinances are an overreach of authority and would hurt the township's revenue by prohibiting dispensaries from coming into town. Others were in favor of the ordinance saying allowing marijuana to be smoked in public would be a detriment to the community.

Moench noted prior to the vote that the township only has 6 months or until Aug. 21 to enact these ordinances. If not, the township wouldn't be able to do this for 5 years.

"What that means is if we allow it in... and decide it has a negative effect in Bridgewater we can't undo it. However, there is no prohibition to ban it and then relax the ordinances. We just can't do the reverse," said Moench.

Moench stressed that the ordinances do not prohibit residents from having or smoking marijuana in their private homes. Instead, the ban on smoking would be similar to the ban on drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes at a township park while watching a baseball game.

"This is our attempt to meet the needs of folks who voted for it and want to be able to use it in their homes and have a constitutional right to do so," said Moench. "This does not take away from that but does protect the rights from other residents who don't want the smell in the neighborhood, who want to not have negative impacts that go with it being pervasive throughout the community."

Councilman Timothy Ring, who met with the League of Municipalities, said that the regulations that go along with the dispensaries and sales have not yet been outlined by the state and the deadline for the regulations to be submitted is Aug. 22 — one day after the deadline for the township to be able to ban marijuana.

"For the state to ask us to make a decision today without knowing what all the rules are and how these facilities will operate in our town, I think is premature of the state quite frankly," said Ring.

Another public hearing and final vote will be held on April 5 at 7:30 p.m. Information on how the public can attend and submit their comments about the ordinances will be released once it gets closer to the meeting date.

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