Harrison: Coming Soon Legal Cannabis Sales

The Town of Harrison passed in August 2021 Ordinance 1445 allowing the legal sale of cannabis aka Marijuana in Harrison per the State of New Jersey’s Cannabis Legalization Law.  At the February 2022 Mayor & Council meeting, two corporations, Green Origin Solutions LLC and Cookies Harrison LLC have applied to open retail stores to sell cannabis.  According to public records, Cookies Harrison LLC was formerly known as Turning Paiges LLC and listed as its Authorized Representative Daniel J. Cohen and has an Englewood NJ mailing address.  Green Origin Solutions LLC has two Authorized Representatives OM A Patel and Shivani A. Patel and has an Iselin NJ mailing address. Turning Paiges LLC does not come up in a Business Entity search on the Division of Revenue and Enterprise records.  Both of these corporations have gotten approval and a resolution of support from the Town of Harrison Mayor and Council. The State of New Jersey must require public disclosure of ownership interests in cannabis retailers.

The next step for the two retailers is to go to the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) for their approval. The Town of Harrison Ordinance allowed the retail sale of cannabis in town but only in the neighborhood commercial zone (Harrison Avenue and Frank E. Rodgers Blvd) and waterfront redevelopment zone.  The two applications have both listed the proposed location of the retail stores as 615 South Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. which is both in the neighborhood commercial zone and the waterfront redevelopment zone.  The Ah’ Pizza restaurant is located in the same building, the Harbor Station 330 building which is on the corner of South Frank E. Rodgers Blvd and Angelo Cifelli Drive.

Why would the Town of Harrison allow the sale of cannabis in Harrison?  The Mayor and Council of neighboring Kearny have banned retail locations townwide.  One benefit of allowing retail sales is the collection of a 2% local tax on each sale.  It is not clear how much the 2% local tax will generate in revenue but will the local tax raised be sufficient funds to pay for additional emergency service expenses.  The State Law does prohibit the consumption of cannabis in retail stores so the purchaser must consume the cannabis outside the store. There is also a Quality of Life issue as both retailers are proposing a store on the ground floor retail space in an apartment building and a neighboring residential neighborhood. 

Ordinance 1445 also provides that the retailer must install a filtration system that is odor absorbing and prevents the aroma of the cannabis from escaping outside the store.  There will also have to be a 24-hour security system to prevent the theft of cannabis.  The store hours will be limited from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. which doesn’t seem too limiting.  Maybe a 10 am. to 5 p.m. would be better since the areas designated for authorized sales are residential neighborhoods and not rural or industrial.

Time will tell whether Mayor Fife & Council’s approval of cannabis sales in Harrison was a wise move.  Tell us what your thoughts are on our Watercooler Discussion Board.