SENECA FALLS –– The Town Board agreed Tuesday not to draft a local law that would ban the commercial sale of marijuana in the town.
Board members considered that option, but declined to opt out of that provision of the new state law legalizing the use, possession and sale of limited amounts of marijuana.
“The board wants all citizens to have the opportunity to open up businesses for this new economic opportunity, not just Cayuga Nation citizens,’’ said Supervisor Mike Ferrara.
“’My decision rested on the fact that we’ve been told the Cayuga Nation will be quite active in the growing and distribution of cannabis,’’ said board member Doug Avery.
“Like their other endeavors, it will lack standard legal constraints and will not result in revenue for the local municipality. Since we can’t prevent distribution in the town, we might as well position ourselves so that someone who wanted to operate a business could do so and the town would receive its portion of the resulting sales tax revenue,’’ Avery said.
“Had it not been for the Cayuga Nation, I would have voted to opt out. I have grave concerns about how legalization will impact our young people and the headaches it will create for law enforcement. Only time will tell,’’ he added.
The Cayuga Nation has indicated it is interested in using a building on Lower Lake Road that had housed the Deer Head Restaurant for a commercial marijuana enterprise. The Nation now owns the former eatery.
There are also unconfirmed reports the Nation may plan to grow and process marijuana on land it owns off East Bayard Street Extension where it once grazed cattle. Should the Nation get into marijuana sales, it most likely would not impose state sales tax.
A municipality wishing to prohibit cannabis sales must draft and pass a local law by Dec. 31. If not, they are required to allow retail sales in their municipality.
The Waterloo Village Board and the Fayette Town Board have drafted local laws to opt out and public hearings are scheduled for later this month.
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