STAMFORD, CT — The Stamford Zoning Board is scheduled to discuss a proposed cannabis dispensary for the Cove section of the city on March 25 as pushback is mounting from the community.
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According to the zoning board’s agenda, a public hearing will be held beginning at 7:10 p.m. on an application from AYR Wellness Inc., a Miami-based cannabis company, that seeks a special permit to operate a hybrid (medicinal and recreational) cannabis dispensary at 417 Shippan Ave.
Building One Community (B1C), the nonprofit organization that provides resources for immigrants and their families in the greater Stamford area so they can successfully integrate into the community, is located in the same building as the proposed dispensary.
Less than a week before the public hearing, community members rallied outside of the Stamford Government Center on Tuesday against the proposed dispensary, saying they were worried about the proximity to the nonprofit and Cummings Park, which is across the street, News 12 Connecticut reported.
Residents held signs opposing the dispensary during the rally, which featured several speakers.
B1C opened its new center at 417 Shippan Ave. in October 2022.
“We chose our current location to reach more families and increase overall awareness of our important work and how to integrate the community at large. In 2023, we’ve grown by more than 31 percent, and that’s because of this great location and being in a safe, welcoming area where all immigrants feel welcome,” said B1C Executive Director Anka Badurina in an email to Patch.
“The proximity of a proposed cannabis retailer doesn’t align with the inspiring work we do here – especially working hand-in-hand with the public schools with Homework Club, summer programs, and a youth volunteer program,” Badurina added. “It undermines the sense of safety and well-being that is crucial for every individual, especially the youths who walk through our doors each day, seeking to learn, grow, and contribute positively to our society.”
AYR Wellness has 85-plus licensed dispensaries in Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The Stamford Planning Board in January voted to recommend the company’s request to open the 2,050-square-foot Shippan Avenue location.
In written public comment submitted ahead of the planning board’s vote in January, several residents, including those involved with B1C, urged the board to recommend the denial of the application to the zoning board to no avail.
Stamford currently has a cannabis dispensary on East Main Street and Research Drive. Another dispensary is planned for High Ridge Road.
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