BY ANDY GARDNER

North Country This Week

MASSENA – The acting village mayor says that an ongoing effort to examine the local codes with regard to legal cannabis businesses isn’t intended to let them set up shop anywhere they’d like.

Acting Mayor Matt Lebire made the comment during the Tuesday, March 16 village board meeting.

The state is in talks to possibly legalize cannabis as part of the 2021-22 state budget. If that fails, then the point is moot.

If legalization happens, Lebire said they’re not looking at amending the codes “to say come in, come in anywhere.”

“We’ll say where it’s appropriate to be located and where it’s not,” Lebire said. “There are some businesses you might not want, say, next to a school.”

He characterized their efforts as “striking a balance ... to meet the state requirements, but also make sure it’s the right way for the Village of Massena.”

Aaron Hardy, the chief village code officer, previously spoke with North Country This Week and said he’s focusing on researching what municipalities have done in other cannabis-legal states.

Earlier this month, Hardy said, “Right now, we’re looking at local codes anywhere from California to Colorado. I’m just starting to look at the documentation up in Maine.” 

At that time, he said researching codes in place elsewhere is a common approach to adding or amending Massena’s existing codes.

“We like to look at other municipalities' rules and regulations, see how they’ve worked for them, and try to use portions of their codes so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel,” Hardy said. 

At the time, Hardy said he was focusing on things that would deal with cannabis shops, or dispensaries. That includes regulations like where they’re allowed to be located, and where they aren’t. 

“There are a lot of rules and regulations in some of these states,” Hardy said. “We’re trying to work through what could work best for the Massena community.”

If the village government decides to amend their local code to accommodate cannabis businesses, it would be subject to a public hearing where people would get to give input to the board members prior to any vote.

“When it finally comes time to look to put something on the books, the village is obviously going to have a public hearing on it, and we always look forward to public feedback, as these are rules and regulations for the community. Everyone in the community should be allowed to have input,” Hardy said.

Massena currently has several liquor stores operating within designated village zoning. Most grocery stores, gas stations and drug stores in the village also sell alcohol products like beer, wine, and malt beverages.

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