A proposed change to Red Bank’s cannabis law would ban sales within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds and public housing, except in one zone, under a draft that’s up for discussion at a special session this week.

The single-topic meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, is for the governing body “to deliberate and act on amendment considerations” concerning planning and zoning for cannabis, according to an agenda posted Monday afternoon.

On the agenda are two proposed ordinances: one that specifies where cannabis businesses can operate, and the other creating a four-official cannabis review board and setting out the steps applicants must follow to obtain a borough operating license.

One of the ordinances would prohibit cannabis businesses from operating within 1,000 feet of “a public or private school, playground, or housing facility owned by a public housing authority,” or “500 feet of parks, houses of worship, and daycare centers,” the posted draft reads. Exempted from the restriction are businesses in the Highway Development zone along Newman Springs Road.

Amid much public debate, the council’s code committee – councilmembers Michael Ballard Angela Mirandi and John Jackson – has been considering a rewrite of the 2021 ordinance governing all phases of the industry, from cultivation to sales and delivery.

The meeting is to be held in-person at borough hall, 90 Monmouth Street. Participation is also available via Zoom.

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