Should Farmington Adopt Medical Marijuana Moratorium?

With medical marijuana legalized in Connecticut, the next question arises where will it be produced and distributed. 

It won't be here in Farmington for the next six months if the Town Planning and Zoning Commission approves an amendment to its zoning regulations forbidding it for that period of time. 

The commission will hold a public hearing Monday on a town proposal to "enact a six month moratorium on palliative marijuana production and dispensary facilities" in Farmington, according to the meeting agenda. 

"There is no application for a medical marijuana facility but we wanted to have time to come up with our own regulations to address the possibility and are therefore considering a moratorium to allow us the time," Town Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Phil Dunn wrote in an email to Patch.

However, Town Planner Robert Phillips said that he has gotten one inquiry about the "creation of a production facility" in town.

The proposed amendment,  Article IV Section 31, states that "Medical Marijuana Production and Dispensary - Palliative marijuana production and/or dispensary facilities shall not be permitted in any zone until the Town Plan and Zoning Commission adopts regulations governing such facilities or for six months following the effective date of this moratorium, whichever is sooner."

The draft proposal for the amendment reflects the commission's desire for more time to further study how having a medical marijuana facility in town would affect the community before drafting formal regulations addressing and regulating such facilities. The commission seeks further research into "whether such a facility would conflict with the stated goals of the Plan of Conservation and Development of preserving and Enhance Housing Values and Neighborhoods," the findings state.

"The Marijuana Regulations governing dispensaries are concerned with the proximity of dispensary facilities to places of worship, public or private schools, convents, and charitable institutions, and whether the number of dispensary facilities in a community is detrimental to the public interest," Farmington town planning findings on the matter state. "The Commission shares these concerns as well as the impacts of palliative marijuana dispensaries on surrounding property values, redevelopment plans and initiatives, and real or perceived safety in their vicinity."

On Sept. 13, the state released Department of Consumer Protection medical marijuana regulations and set a two-month deadline for production and dispensary facilities, according to the town of Farmington's summary of findings in relation to the proposed zoning amendment.

"The Marijuana Regulations consider marijuana production facilities to be compatible with pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities but do not consider marijuana dispensary facilities to be compatible with retail pharmacies," the town's findings state. "Therefore, an analysis of both facilities’ impact on the town’s comprehensive zoning plan is necessary."

Farmington is not the first Connecticut town considering adopting regulations that would delay medical marijuana facilities from coming to town.