Cannabis Dispensary Takes Another Step Forward In Hoboken

HOBOKEN, NJ — The Hoboken City Council voted 5-4 last Wednesday to support the application of Story cannabis dispensary, at Fourteenth and Hudson streets, to New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

The vote cleared another hurdle for the dispensary, which had received Hoboken Planning Board approval last month.

But some Hoboken residents, particularly neighbors of the proposed site and a councilwoman who represents them, still oppose the proposal.

Neighbors in the densely packed residential area on the northern waterfront have complained about potential congestion from the business. They've also raised questions about political involvement, noting Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop stands to benefit financially from the site. His wife co-owns the storefront that will house the dispensary.

The dispensary's opponents have started a petition and website, and filed two lawsuits. READ MORE: Cannabis Dispensary Gets Approval In Wee(d) Hours

The most recent lawsuit questioned influence from Assemblyman Raj Mukherj, who helped bring some of the parties involved in the dispensary together. Mukherji acknowledged that he has invested in the cannabis industry, but said he had no influence on the current application except to introduce some of the parties.

Proponents say the dispensary will no more harm the area than the bar/restaurants on that block, or dozens of bars and restaurants in the mile-square city.

In fact, the dispensary is replacing a bar/restaurant called Hudson Tavern that closed in summer 2021.

In a lawsuit filed in May, the 14th Street building's condo association said that they were led to believe that Jaclyn Fulop — wife of Jersey City Mayor Fulop — and her partners, who purchased the storefront last year, intended to install a physical therapy practice there. Instead, the practice opened across the street.

(See a recent letter from a resident about the dispensary here.)

Response To Wednesday's Vote

Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who has raised questions about the dispensary, said in her newsletter after the vote, "What Wednesday night’s affirmative vote means is that the proposed Story Dispensary can move forward with their application with the New Jersey Cannabis Review Commission. We have already reached out to the CRC and provided information about the political influence behind this dispensary and the charade of its proposed principals."

She said, "This City Council vote was as much about the impact a high volume dispensary will have on traffic, congestion, pedestrian safety and parking, as it was about political influence, corruption and enriching elected officials and their friends. We learned recently that not only has Jersey City Mayor Fulop (and gubernatorial candidate) been behind this dispensary, but that our own Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (and state senate candidate) who we elected to represent us is as well and helped put together the [parties involved] with his friend and client Jason Vedadi."

A news article in New Jersey Monitor noted that Jaclyn Fulop and her partner "are leasing a ground-floor location in the building to Texas-based Jason Vedadi, who is subleasing it to the planned cannabis shop, Story Dispensary of Hoboken. Story is partially owned by Howard Hintz, who has worked in the cannabis industry with Vedadi."

Earlier in the year, one of Jaclyn Fulop's storefront co-owners participated in a pricy fundraiser involving Mayor Fulop and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

The Hoboken City Council passed a rule earlier this year limiting dispensaries in town to six. Story was the third recreational dispensary to receive local approval in Hoboken, and the fifth including medical dispensaries.

How To See The Council Meeting

A number of people spoke out at Wednesday's meeting to oppose the dispensary.

You can watch the meeting here, and see public comments around 1:00, followed by council comments.

The meeting agendas are on the city website here: the agendas.

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