VT News Roundup: CCB Votes to End Pre-Qualification May 31, Local Proposals in Middlebury, Brattleboro, Derby

The Vermont Cannabis Control Board unanimously voted during its April 18 meeting to close the window for pre-qualification applications, effective Tuesday May 31. The Board will continue to accept new pre-qualification applications until that time.

As of last week, the Control Board had received more than 640 preliminary, or pre-qualification, license applications to date. Information on pre-qualification may be found on their web site.

The Control Board is also hiring, and looking to fill a number of positions. More information is available on their website. Applications will be accepted on the Vermont Department of Human Resources website – the deadline is May 12.

Local Retail Opt-In Updates

UPCOMING VOTE: Wilmington May 10

Despite a previous 2 to 1 yes vote approving retailers, residents have petitioned for revote in Wilmington, and a special vote will take place on Tuesday, May 10. Wilmington residents are encouraged to come and vote! More info

Cannabis Retail Passes in Essex Junction Village

On April 12, the Village of Essex Junction held its annual election and passed Article 4, authorizing cannabis retailers in town. The results were 1456 yes and 1026 no votes. See the Map

Special Cannabis Retail Vote Fails in Castleton Vermont: April 13

Voters once again rejected a ballot article allowing retail cannabis sales in town, this time by 15 votes.

The results of Wednesday’s vote was 275-290, with the article failing. It was first voted on at Town Meeting Day, where it failed 306-351.

The article may be on the ballot once again come November, said Janet Currie, a former chairwoman of the Planning Commission who plans to open a cannabis business in town and has been advocating for the allowance of retail sales. See the Map

Retail Cannabis Store, Grow Operation Proposed in Middlebury

Middlebury voters’ decision last year to open the town’s doors to adult use cannabis ventures has led to two such applications being filed this month.

The Independent reported last week on a proposal from Mr. Z Craft Cannabis to convert the former Middlebury Boarding & Grooming Kennel at into an indoor cannabis growing operation

This week comes news of an application for a cannabis retail store at 2 Park St. in downtown Middlebury that could someday carry adult use cannabis cultivated by Mr. Z. The store, called “FLŌRA,” would sell cannabis flower and an assortment of related products, including tinctures, concentrates, edibles, beverages and topicals.

FLŌRA is being pitched by two Middlebury residents: Michael Sims and Dave Silberman, both of whom have either entrepreneurial or legal background in the cannabis industry.

— Via Addison County Independent

Rutland Committee Unanimously Approves Local Control Board Recommendation

Rutland’s Charter and Ordinance Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend the full Board of Aldermen appoint a board of cannabis commissioners to function similarly to the Board of Liquor Control Commissioners, which is made up of the aldermen and makes recommendations about licensing to state authorities.

The committee also got a rundown from City Attorney Matthew Bloomer on the extent to which they regulate cannabis sales and sellers in the city, whose presence city voters authorized in a referendum on Town Meeting Day. Bloomer said such businesses would be subject to the same zoning and ordinances as other businesses, but the city may not regulate them to a greater extent than other businesses.

“The state control board was pretty explicit in that it didn’t want to give local authority unfettered regulation,” he said. “Certainly, if there’s something unique about a cannabis business, the ordinance could consider that.”

Bloomer pointed to the just-enacted ordinance requiring grocery stores to collect stray shopping carts as a unique aspect of a type of business that can be subject to regulation.

— Via the Rutland Herald

Bordertown Farm Receives Act 250 Approval for Grow Facility

Bordertown Farm in Brattleboro received local Act 250 approval to build an indoor cannabis grow facility during Wednesday night’s Development Review Board meeting.

In 2017, the farm, located at the Vermont Agricultural Business Education Center on University Way, began farming organic hemp and marketing its own line of CBD products, Bordertown Farm CBD.

“With the passage of the cannabis rules, we would like to now expand our hemp business into the legal cannabis business, and we’d need to erect an indoor grow facility to make that viable,” said Jared Ralston, who co-founded Bordertown with Hilary Famolare.

He told the board they plan to erect a 12,000-square-foot facility on the property to produce cannabis that will be made available at dispensaries around Vermont.

— Via Brattleboro Reformer

Derby Selectboard Discusses Retail Cannabis Proposal

On Monday evening, the Derby selectboard discussed plans by Michael Hatin to open a retail cannabis store in Derby. The board is confronting a number of rules and regulations as it prepares for retail cannabis stores in the fall.

“We asked how many there will be,” selectboard chair Grant Spates said of CCB. “It was supposed to be limited.” Spates said CCB never responded to his inquiry, but noted they took the time to interview with WCAX in Burlington.

If the selectboard chooses to limit the number of retail outlets, Spates suggested the board set a deadline for interested parties to apply for a license.

— Via The Newport Daily Express

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