KENT, Conn.—The Planning and Zoning Commission’s Cannabis Subcommittee is making one last push to get public input on the future of cannabis sales and agriculture in the town.
The deadline for submitting online and paper copies of the survey is March 31.
Land Use Administrator Tai Kern said that more than 300 persons had responded to the survey by March 4. “The responses are still right down the middle,” she said, with almost equal numbers favoring cannabis businesses and opposing them.
While subcommittee members are eager to have more input, Kern noted that this is the largest number of returns for any survey on any topic has generated. Subcommittee chair Sarah Chase said 300 returns is “statistically significant enough” to draw conclusions.
There are two directions the town can go in deciding about cannabis businesses in Kent: zoning regulations or an ordinance. The current tendency is toward an ordinance.
When the data has been assessed a report will be taken to the Planning and Zoning Commission, then to the Board of Selectmen to decide whether an ordinance will be drafted, or zoning regulation should be developed.
“The prohibitive side tends to be ordinance based,” said Kern. “When it goes toward allowing it, it’s zoning regulations. If the town doesn’t want it, it would be cleaner with an ordinance.”
The group established a timeline for their work, ending with a town meeting in June or July. They anticipate extending the town’s moratorium on cannabis businesses until an ordinance or regulations can be completed.
Member Darrell Cherniske said he wants clarification about restrictions for agricultural cannabis businesses. Chase admitted that there are gray areas in the state’s acceptance of cannabis as a legal occupation and noted that it is still not legal at the federal level.
“At any moment the Federal government can enforce if they choose to do so,” she said. “It’s the Damocles sword over people who start businesses. It’s still illegal at the federal level, but not criminal.”
She said, for instance, that hemp seeds can be sold anywhere, but when the THC in the hemp reached a certain level, it is no longer allowed. “If you grow hot hemp, which has more THC than normal, ironically, you to burn all that hemp,” she said with a smile.
RESIDENT TROOPER ISSUES REPORT
KENT, Conn.—Resident State Trooper Vicki Donohoe has issued her report for the month of February.
She said there were 11 patrol checks; two traffic services; five traffic accidents; 17 traffic stops; 12 enhanced school security services; nine citizen assists; two assists to other agencies; one fire; three community liaison activities; 18 alarms; three medical assists, and one instance of fraud.
There were no suspicious incidents, assaults, disturbances, burglaries, criminal mischief or larceny.
TOWN, KAH ESTABLISH CONSTRUCTION PLAN
KENT, Conn.—First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer reports that he and Public Works foreman Rick Osborne met with the leadership of Kent Affordable Housing and their architect to coordinate the upcoming construction of the South Commons Extension affordable housing project.
The project will be built below South Common, KAH’s first project and residential traffic will enter from South Common. All major construction traffic will be routed through the transfer station, however, allowing direct access for construction vehicles during working hours.
This will have no effect on transfer station operating hours and will limit major construction traffic on Swift Lane and the Commons Park and Templeton Farms area.
Another site is needed to store smaller construction materials, equipment and for worker parking near the construction site. A small portion of what is now the dirt parking area just below the tennis courts will be fenced for this purpose.
Parks and recreation traffic will be able to use part of the dirt lot on a “not to interfere” basis.
SUSTAINABILITY TEAM CLARIFIES PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
KENT, Conn.—The Kent Sustainability Team conferred with Summer Mitchell, a Sustainable Communities Fellow with Sustainable CT, during its March 3 meeting. She provided clarifying information about the program.
Sustainable CT is a program designed to help communities complete action items that provide social, environmental and economic benefits. The program begins with an equity action required for all certification levels that recognizes the value of each person regardless of a person’s race, gender, age, economic status, religious affiliation or sexual identity.
Equity action is the first step but those communities that earn at least 150 points through it and subsequent action steps can apply for the Climate Leader Designation. That designation celebrates municipalities that are reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and preparing their communities for the impacts of climate change.
The local committee members are working independently to complete action items, all of which need to be connected to the municipality. Nonprofits in town can do a qualifying activity, but the town must collaborate with them. Even something as simple as sharing communication from a collaborator on the town website or social meeting would help qualify the town in some cases.
Subcommittee Chairman Lynn Mellis Worthington suggested a more inclusive and broader approach to communication with groups such as the Kent Land Trust, the Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Kent Memorial Library.
Worthington is working on a series of policies, including the required Equity Statement for the town. The wording for the statement was drawn from the most recent Kent Plan of Conservation and Development.
She advocates for adopting a sustainable purchasing policy and a municipal energy plan. “I’d like the town to establish an account with the ENERGY STAR portfolio manager and input energy use data into the portal,” she said. “It would require at least two years of data.”
