Pubdate: Sat, 05 Mar 2016 Source: New Haven Register (CT) Copyright: 2016 New Haven Register Contact: http://www.nhregister.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/292 Author: Pamela McLoughlin PROPOSED POT DISPENSARY DRAWS FIRE Approved, Then Rescinded, West River Road Site May Be Appealed MILFORD - A state-approved-medical marijuana dispensary slated to open at 255 West River Road and opposed by nearby residential neighbors, is having an unexpected bumpy ride at the local level. A zoning permit that would allow the facility to open was both approved and rescinded on the same day. The city's Zoning Enforcement Officer approved the application of Arrow Alternative Care #2 for a dispensary on Feb. 23, a day after the application was submitted. Later that day, the approval was rescinded by the boss, Joe Griffith, Milford's director of permitting and land use and chief zoning enforcement officer. Griffith said he rescinded the approval because the application should have been subject to site plan approval by the Planning and Zoning Board - just like every other application. Griffith also said he expects the dispensary owner to appeal the rescinding of the application. The dispensary is located in a Corridor Design Development District - considered a commercial district - but adjacent to a residential neighborhood. Lora Rae Anderson, spokeswoman for the Department of Consumer Protection, which oversees the dispensaries, said of 17 applications received by the state, nine were in Milford. Griffith said he's been told by people making applications that the city is desirable because Milford is in an excellent location and the zoning regulations regarding dispensaries are the least restrictive. Griffith said there is "talk" about making the regulations more restrictive and that he expects a private party to soon file an application to change the regulations, which would have to be approved by the PZB. Any changes to the regulations would be brought to public hearing. Anderson says 8,783 patients in the state are receiving medical marijuana and of those, 2,412 are in New Haven County. Another facility, Southern CT Wellness and Healing LLC., is slated to open at 318 New Haven Ave. Nine facilities have been approved in Connecticut and six are open. State Rep. Kim Rose, a Democrat who represents the 118th, says the issue of the medical marijuana dispensary opening adjacent to the West River Road residential area was on the minds of some residents she met at a constituents meeting this week with Mayor Ben Blake. "They have absolutely valid concerns and I'm concerned, as well," Rose said. "This is absolutely my number one priority." Rose said she is working hard to find a resolution for all- and spent an hour Friday talking to the commissioner of consumer protection. According to a flier passed out by residents in the West River Road area, while they are not "against a medical marijuana facility in Milford," and don't dispute the benefits of the medicine, they don't want it in their neighborhood. Neighbors say on the flier they are concerned the facility will increase traffic, increase crime and violence "related to robberies surrounding dispensaries," soften the "attitude toward medical marijuana, putting children at risk," an increased presence of "irresponsible individuals" in the neighborhood, near schools and around children. Resident Lauralee Heckman, who is among the unhappy residents, said she's happy the mayor and Rose are in agreement that the location in question is not a good one. "Hopefully the city will do the right thing and change the location from a residential area to a more business-appropriate one," Heckman said in an email. "A residential area where children would live directly next door and across the street from a marijuana dispensary just doesn't make sense." Anderson, spokeswoman for the Department of Consumer Protection, said while they're looking to improve the regulations in the future, the application process is thorough and the facilities safe. She said crime actually went down in one neighborhood with a dispensary because there was so much security. Anderson said there are misconceptions about the medical marijuana program. Only 30 percent of what's dispensed is a smoke product - the rest is in pill or oil form- and it cannot legally be taken out until the receiver is home. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom