Montclair Awards Its First Cannabis Manufacturing License

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A new recreational marijuana business is coming to Montclair.

The Montclair Town Council unanimously voted to pass a resolution that awards the town’s first Class 2/Category E cannabis manufacturing license to TLEHL Inc. during their meeting on Tuesday. It clears the way for the company to open a facility at 154 Pine Street.

The full resolution can be seen below.

There are six classes of cannabis business licenses in New Jersey, including “manufacturer.” While separate from another class, “cultivators,” the two categories share similar licensing requirements in Montclair, including security, no public access and odor control.

It’s the second cannabis license that Montclair has approved since the state legalized recreational weed. Ascend Wellness – which operates a medical marijuana dispensary on Bloomfield Avenue – began selling recreational cannabis to adult customers last year.

Montclair Councilman Peter Yacobellis said that state law allows the township to tax the revenue generated from this economic activity at 1 percent, versus 2 percent for retailers such as Ascend.

“This is a small, but meaningful way to continue to diversify our tax base,” Yacobellis said. “We are continuing to review cultivator and additional recreational license applications with plans to award those licenses in the coming weeks.”

• See Related: Proposed Marijuana Grow Business In Montclair Takes Leap Forward

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE AWARD OF A CONDITIONAL CLASS 2/CATEGORY E, CANNABIS MANUFACTURER LICENSE TO TLEHL, INC.

WHEREAS, on August 10, 2021, the Mayor and Council of the Township of Montclair adopted Ordinance Number: O-21-17, Chapter 110 – Cannabis; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to § 110-5 of the Ordinance, the Township, subject to the provisions of Chapter 110, land use approval and state licensure, may issue one (1) Class 2/Category E, Cannabis Manufacturer license; and

WHEREAS, TLEHL, Inc. submitted an application in accordance with to § 110-8 of the Ordinance for a Class 2/Category E, Cannabis Manufacturer License; and

WHEREAS, the application of TLEHL, Inc. was deemed complete by the Township; and

WHEREAS, TLEHL, Inc. was the sole entity to have submitted a complete application for a Class 2/Category E, Cannabis Manufacturer License pursuant to § 110-8 for the Township’s review; and

WHEREAS, TLEHL, Inc. will be located at 127 Pine Street, Annex #2, in Montclair; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Township’s review of its application, TLEHL, Inc. is in compliance with all applicable municipal zoning laws; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Township’s review of its application, TLEHL, Inc. is in compliance with the applicable buffer zone requirements; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Township’s review of its application, TLEHL, Inc. has submitted a security plan which provides measures to ensure community safety and the elimination of unauthorized access to its premises; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Township’s review of its application, TLEHL, Inc.’s proposed signage complies with all applicable zoning laws; and

WHEREAS, upon an award of a conditional license, applicant must obtain conditional use permit from the Planning Board before building permits can be issued for cannabis manufacturer use; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to its application, TLEHL is in the process of applying for a Class II Cannabis Manufacturer License from the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission; and

WHEREAS, § 110-7 of the Ordinance provides that if an [applicant] for a municipal license does not hold a valid state-issued license, then a license issued by the Township is conditional and contingent upon the subsequent receipt of a state permit or license of the same class or type of regulated cannabis activity; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to § 110-14 of the Ordinance, a notification of award and conditional municipal license shall entitle the recipient applicant to pursue a state permit or license in the appropriate classification for up to 12 months, which may be extended in the Township Council's discretion for an additional six months for good cause.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Township of Montclair that TLEHL, Inc. be awarded a conditional municipal Class 2/Category E, Cannabis Manufacture License as provided by the Ordinance.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this article included the incorrect address for the new cannabis manufacturing facility. It will be located at 154 Pine Street, not 127 Pine Street, Annex #2. We apologize for the error.

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