Public Hearing On Middletown's Proposed Marijuana Ban Monday

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — At their upcoming meeting Monday night, the Middletown Township Committee will hear from the public regarding a proposed town ordinance that would ban recreational marijuana businesses from opening in Middletown.

After the public is given a chance to speak, the Township Committee will vote Monday night; the ordinance is expected to be voted into law.

The ordinance was introduced at the last Middletown Township Committee meeting by Deputy Mayor Rick Hibell, and it has the full support of all the Middletown Township Committee members.

"The story you should be writing is why the state of New Jersey has not given municipalities any factual information or regulations about where marijuana businesses can go," said Middletown Mayor Tony Perry on Friday afternoon. "It's a big problem. How close can they be located next to schools, for example? We have no idea. The state Cannabis Regulatory Commission is tasked with coming up with these rules and regulations and until they do that, municipalities are flying blind."

Perry is a Republican.

Middletown's ban on recreational pot shops is similar to Holmdel's, which just this week also introduced a ban on pot shops from opening in that town. Middletown's ordinance says nothing about medical marijuana or pot-growing businesses, so those could possibly still open in Middletown in the future.

Why are so many New Jersey towns banning pot shops, even though marijuana is now legal in the state of New Jersey?

Last November, an overwhelming majority of New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) said they supported legalizing marijuana, via a public ballot question in the 2020 election.

But then in early 2021, the New Jersey League of Municipalities said towns in New Jersey have until Aug. 22 to enact ordinances banning pot shops, if they so choose. If they do not pass this ban by Aug. 22, New Jersey towns would not be able to ban marijuana businesses from opening for the next five years.

"If we allow it now, we can't make any changes for five years," said Perry on Friday. "The state of New Jersey has put every town in an impossible situation."

The Middletown Township Committee Regular Meeting on Monday, July 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. will be open to the public.

You can attend in person and speak on the marijuana ordinance. The meeting is held at the Middletown Township building.

The meeting will also be made available live through Webex Event Center. If you will be participating remotely, you can do so by visiting https://tinyurl.com/committee071921. To call in to the meeting, dial 1-408-418-9388. The event access code is 179 645 8444 followed by #. Enter 2021 if a passcode is required.

Related: Holmdel Introduces Ordinance Banning Pot Retailers, Growers (July 14)

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