Want To Run A Pot Shop In Morristown? Now's Your Chance

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The process for potentially bringing cannabis businesses to Morristown is in motion. Town officials will accept proposals for local dispensary licensing over the next two weeks.

After New Jersey legalized adult use of recreational weed last year, Morristown officials spent months pondering to what extent they'd welcome the industry into town. The Town Council decided to allow up to two recreational and/or medical dispensaries into Morristown, passing a zoning ordinance Dec. 14 on the matter. Read more: Weed Dispensary Zoning Gets Morristown Council's OK

Opening a cannabis business in New Jersey requires a state license. But Morristown's ordinance also created requirements for local licenses to open a weed establishment.

Now, those local licenses are up for grabs. And with only two licenses available for now, this might be the best opportunity for a long time for prospective business owners to meet local qualifications.

Proposals are due by April 13. See details for sending a proposal here.

Morristown's weed-business ordinance limit potential dispensaries to the Central Business District and zone MX-2 — Ridgedale and Madison Avenues, plus a portion of Martin Luther King Avenue. They also must be at least 1,000 feet from a grade school and 200 feet from houses of worship.

The five-member Town Cannabis Advisory Board, featuring town officials, would review all applicants for local licensing. But Town Council would have the authority to activate, suspend or revoke any licenses. Successful applicants will then have up to 18 months to obtain a state license.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission provided provisional licenses in December to 30 applicants seeking to open medical-cannabis facilities around the state. The state began taking applications March 15 for recreational dispensaries.

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