The governor of New York has signed legislation into law that revises zoning requirements for licensed marijuana businesses, granting more flexibility to retailers located within certain distances of schools and places of worship.
The bills, passed by the House and Senate and signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Wednesday, also grandfather in more than 150 existing retailers whose locations were retroactively found to be out of compliance with zoning requirements that created a buffer between cannabis dispensaries and schools and churches.
Last year, New York regulators notified the licensed retailers that they were mistakenly granted approval for their locations because the way distance was measured placed them closer to schools or places of worship than was permitted under the law.
While the marijuana law as enacted restricted zoning based on distance between a retailer and a school or church property line, in multiple cases the distance was being improperly assessed based on distance from main entryway to main entryway rather than by the edge of property lines.
Once the mistake was identified, the state notified affected businesses that they would either have to close or relocate. But amid litigation and industry pressure, the governor pledged to work with lawmakers
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