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Welcome to the City of East Orange’s Board of Cannabis Control webpage.  The most current information regarding the state of Cannabis in East Orange will be posted on this page as it becomes available.

CANNABIS IN EAST ORANGE GENERALLY

The following Cannabis Businesses are authorized to operate in East Orange with a State issued license and a City issued permit:
 

-   Class 1 Cultivators

-   Class 2 Manufacturers

-   Class 3 Wholesalers

-   Class 4 Distributors

-   Class 5 Retailers

-   Class 6 Delivery Services

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Expanded ATCs and Testing Laboratories are not authorized to operate in East Orange.

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BOARD OF CANNABIS CONTROL

The Board of Cannabis Control, first created by Ordinance No. 43-2021 (as amended by Ordinance No. 26-2022), is the local regulating authority for the permitting, oversight, and enforcement of Cannabis Business operations in East Orange.  The Board consists of 5 members and 2 liaisons appointed by the Mayor and City Council. 

 

The powers and duties of the Board include, among others, making recommendations to the Mayor and City Council with respect to the number, classes, and types of Cannabis Businesses authorized to operate in East Orange, application and permitting fees, and civil penalties for violations of the Cannabis Ordinance; establishing the processes and criteria for obtaining Resolutions of Support and Cannabis Business Permits; making endorsements to the City Council for Resolutions of Support; approving and issuing Cannabis Business Permits, and renewals thereof; and oversight and enforcement of Cannabis Business operations.

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MUNICIPAL CODE

On October 16, 2023, the City Council authorized amendments to the Cannabis Ordinance (Amended Cannabis Ordinance No. 25-2023), which establishes the local regulatory framework for the cultivation, manufacture, sale, resale, transportation, delivery, possession, consumption, and personal use of Cannabis and Cannabis Products within East Orange.  The amended Cannabis Ordinance provides more specific information regarding the creation of the Board of Cannabis Control, the establishment and collection of Transfer and User Taxes, and local requirements for Resolutions of Local Support, Cannabis Business Permits, and zoning/land use.

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ZONING

Section 6 of the Cannabis Ordinance, as amended, supplements Chapter 51 of the Municipal Code to include land use and zoning provisions for Cannabis Business operations authorized in East Orange.  General provisions include requirements for odor, noise, capacity, parking, loading, signage, operational controls, security, hours of operation, separation distances, and conditional use application. 

 

Additionally, Cannabis Businesses are authorized to operate in certain zoning districts with the following limitations:

 

  • Cannabis Businesses are not permitted in residential zones.

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  • All Cultivator, Manufacturer, Wholesaler, and Distributor Cannabis Business operations are permitted uses in the IND and IND-1 zones.

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  • All Retailer and Delivery Service Cannabis Business operations are permitted uses in IND, IND-1, CBD, CAC, ACD, and C2 zones. 

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  • As of October 16, 2023, the Cannabis Ordinance was amended to include the following designated areas as additional zones in which Retailer and Delivery Service Cannabis Business operations are permitted uses:

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  • Central Avenue and South Street (Block 23, Lot 3 and Block 10, Lot 1);

  • Sussex Plaza (Block 41, Lots 1 and 2);

  • 4th Avenue (Block 70, Lots 22, 23 and 24);

  • Ampere Parkway (Block 80, Lots 1.02 and 2.01; Block 94, Lot 17; Block 96, Lots 1 and 7; and Block 97, Lot 3);

  • Hoffman Boulevard (Block 110, Lots, 7, 8, 8.01, 8.02, 9, 9.01, 9.02, 9.03, 9.04, 9.05, 9.06, 9.07, 9.08, 9.09, 9.10, 9.11, 9.12, 10, 11, 12 and 12.01; and Block 112, Lot 4);

  • Dodd Street (Block 600, Lots 1 and 2; Block 612, Lot 8; Block 860, Lots 1, 3, 4, 4.02, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12; Block 861, Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.01, 10.02, 10.03, 10.04, 11, 11.01 and 12; Block 870, Lots 1.01, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7.03 and 7.06; and Block 880, Lots 1 and 47);    

  • North Park Street (Block 821, Lots 13, 37, and 39; Block 822, Lot 40; Block 921, Lots 11, 12, 12.01, 13, and 14.01);

  • North Harrison Street (Block 684, Lot 4; and Block 686, Lots 2, 4, 5 and 8.01); and

  • William Street (Block 540, Lots 2 and 33; and Block 544, Lots 1.20, 2, 3, 4 and 17).

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  • No Cannabis Business shall be located within 625 feet of another, or within 100 feet of a daycare, elementary school, or high school.  Distance is measured from the main entrance of each establishment.

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  • ​The Council Supported Cannabis Business Sites Map identifies Cannabis Business locations that have received Resolutions of Support from the City Council.  The locations pinned on this map are established Cannabis Business sites for purposes of determining separation distance buffers between Cannabis Business locations.

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BOARD MEMBERS

  • Aziza K. McGill-Ayinde, Board Chair

  • Kevin Mickens, Board Vice Chair

  • Phillip Reed, Board Member

  • Thomas Bullock, Board Member

  • Arianna Moure, Board Member

 

  • Christopher Awe, Board Liaison & 2nd Ward Councilman

  • Donyale Harris, Board Secretary

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Contact:

44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07017

Email: eocannabisboard@eastorange-nj.gov

Phone: 973.266.5152

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Rosemarie Moyeno Matos, Esq., Board Attorney

Email: rmatos@lawrmm.com

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Lloyd Raheem, Acting Director of Policy Planning & Development

Email: lloyd.raheem2@eastorange-nj.gov

 

Robert Lawson, Zoning Officer

Email: Robert.Lawson@eastorange-nj.gov

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LOCAL SUPPORT RESOLUTIONS AND PERMITS

The Cannabis Ordinance, as amended, establishes a cap on the maximum number of Cannabis Businesses authorized to operate in East Orange.  The following table identifies the maximum number of Cannabis Businesses authorized per Permit class and type.

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Resolutions of Local Support

The number of Resolutions of Support issued by the City Council is limited to the maximum number of Permits available per class and type.  A running total of the number of Resolutions of Local Support available at any time will be set in the table below.

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East Orange opened a period for accepting applications for Resolutions of Local Support from Class 1 Cultivators, Class 2 Manufacturers, and Class 5 Retailers only pursuant to the Board's Notice of Local Support Application Acceptance dated October 17, 2022, which set forth information related to eligibility and limitations, mandatory requirements, weighted criteria, bonus points, fees, the timeline and process for reviewing, scoring, and approving Local Support Applications, the basis for denials and disqualifications, hearings, endorsements to the City Council and the issuance of Resolutions of Local Support.  The Local Support Application acceptance period opened on October 21, 2022, and closed on November 18, 2022. 

 

Pursuant to the Notice of Local Support Application Acceptance, all complete applications received during the acceptance period were reviewed and scored by the Board, with applications receiving a minimum average score of 85 or greater advancing to a hearing.  BCC hearings were conducted between December 5, 2022 and January 12, 2023, following which the BCC voted to endorse twelve applicants for Resolutions of Support from the City Council. 

 

City Council deliberations on endorsed applications were conducted at special meetings held on March 21, 2023, March 22, 2023, and April 10, 2023.  At the April 10, 2023 meeting, the City Council voted to issue Resolutions of Local Support to three applicants seeking Standard Retailer Permits and one applicant seeking Microbusiness Cultivator and Manufacturer Permits.  Copies of the Resolutions of Local Support are posted under the "Local Support" tab above.  The Resolutions of Local Support were subsequently amended on April 24, 2023 to include the 180-day expiration date provided for in the Cannabis Ordinance.  â€‹

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***On May 22, 2023, the BCC commenced accepting Local Support Applications on a rolling basis for all classes and types of licenses except Standard Class 5 Retailers since the maximum available number of those Resolutions of Support were already issued by the City Council.  Please refer to the table of available Resolutions of Support (above) to determine the number of Resolutions of Support remaining per Permit class and type.  Updated Application materials are located under the "Local Support" tab above.  Please review the Application Instructions carefully to ensure that you submit all required Application materials.  Incomplete Applications will be rejected.

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***As of October 16, 2023, the Cannabis Ordinance was amended to increase the number of Standard and Microbusiness Retailer Permits authorized to operate in the City.  The BCC will announce shortly when it will commence accepting Local Support Applications for the increased number of Standard Class 5 Retailer Permits.

 

Site Plan Approvals

Site plan approvals are not required to submit a Local Support Application.  However, applicants interested in obtaining site plan approvals at this time should refer to the documents published under the "Site Plan Approvals" tab above to begin the process.

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CANNABIS BUSINESS PERMITS

Prior to the operation of any authorized Cannabis Business in East Orange, an Annual License from the State of New Jersey and a Cannabis Business Permit from East Orange must be obtained for the Class of Cannabis Business operation proposed.  No Cannabis Business may operate without having been issued a License and Permit by the State and City, respectively.  East Orange will not act on any Cannabis Permit Application until such time as the applicant has been awarded a Conversion or Annual License from the State.

CANNABIS BUSINESS GUIDE

For the benefit of applicants and State Licensees interested in bringing an authorized Cannabis Business to East Orange, the Board has prepared a Cannabis Business Guide (Coming Soon).

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MEETING DATES & AGENDAS

 

Board Meetings

All information related to meetings of the Board will be published here as it becomes available.  Historical meeting information is available under the "Meetings" tab above.​

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2024 Regular Meetings of the Board

January 24, 2024 (Reorganization) | 5:30 PM (Notice/Agenda)

February 28, 2024 | 5:30 PM (Canceled)

March 27, 2024 | 5:30 PM (Canceled)

April 24, 2024 | 5:30 PM

May 22, 2024 | 5:30 PM

June 26, 2024 | 5:30 PM

July 24, 2024 | 5:30 PM

August 28, 2024 | 5:30 PM

September 25, 2024 | 5:30 PM

October 23, 2024 | 5:30 PM

November 27, 2024 | 5:30 PM

December 18, 2024 | 5:30 PM

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2024 Special Meetings of the Board

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