Middle Backs Recreational Marijuana Proposal

COURT HOUSE – At its meeting Oct. 5, the Middle Township Committee authorized support for an out-of-state company to operate a retail recreational cannabis business.
The Massachusetts company, INSA, has already sought a license for medical retail in the township. That effort failed to get state approval during the first rounds of licensing for medical cannabis dispensaries. There is still the potential for an integrated license for cultivation and manufacturing operations at the old La Monica Plant on Indian Trail Road.
INSA’s most recent plan calls for a single recreational retail establishment on the site of the now-demolished Four Season’s Diner in the middle of the Rio Grande commercial area. The site sits across the street from the former Rio Station restaurant and across a side street from Starbucks. The recreational cannabis shop would be among the most visible and centrally located of any proposed cannabis retail businesses in the county.
Middle Township was previously hesitant to support cannabis-related businesses. Citing the lack of information on how the state would regulate those businesses, the township initially closed its doors to any class of cannabis establishment.
As more information became available, the township did support an application for a medical dispensary by INSA. Those plans have since changed to an integrated cannabis cultivation and manufacturing site without retail.
Township acceptance of a potential recreational cannabis retail establishment followed in June when the governing body voted to allow a single retail establishment in the municipality.
According to Mayor Michael Donohue, the township received two applications seeking municipal support for a state license for recreational retail. 
“We did our due diligence,” Donohue said. In the end it was again INSA that gained the township’s confidence. 
The support of the municipality is a required step in the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s process for license awards. So far, the state has only allowed recreational cannabis sales at selected sites already licensed for medical marijuana. 
There are six classes of licenses that the commission can award, ranging from cultivation to retail sales. No awards have been made to any applicants from Cape May County.  
Along with Middle Township, West Cape May, Lower Township and Woodbine have indicated a willingness to host some form of cannabis business.
Currently, cannabis dispensaries have been licensed in 14 of the state’s 21 counties. No cannabis business locations have yet been authorized in Cape May County. 
Thoughts on recreational cannabis in Cape May County? Submit a Spout at spoutoff.cmcherald.com. Got a tip about it? Email vconti@cmcherald.com.