East Lyme — The Zoning Commission has approved a special permit that would allow Fresh Lyme Partners LLC to sell marijuana for both medicinal and adult recreational use out of a store at 11 Colton Road.

The commission voted 4-2 on April 21 to approve the permit.

“Nothing is set until the state says we have the license,” resident and permit applicant Laurie Zrenda said.

Fresh Lyme Partners first needs to secure a state-approved social equity partner in order to be granted an adult-use cannabis hybrid retailer license. The company was set up as an LLC by Ray Pantalena, who owns Affinity Health and Wellness, a medical marijuana dispensary that he has operated in New Haven for the past three years. He agreed to collaborate with building owner Zrenda, a former pharmacist, dispensary manager and owner of Thames Valley Relief, a medical marijuana dispensary in Uncasville. Pantalena and a social equity partner, a relative of Zrenda, are pursuing an equity joint venture application that must be approved by the Department of Consumer Protection's Social Equity Council.

"It's working its way through the halls of Hartford," Pantalena said about the status of his company's hybrid cannabis retailer application. "The first sale is likely to be six to nine months away."

By applying as part of an equity joint venture with a social equity partner, Fresh Lyme Partners will not be subject to the state's cannabis retail licensing lottery, which has received over 3,200 applications across the state. The social equity partner must meet state requirements and pass the vetting process. Zrenda will serve as Fresh Lyme Partner's dispensary manager and mentor to the social equity partner.

"It would be premature to announce who the social equity partner will be at this time," Pantalena said. "The Department of Consumer Protection is being careful how they roll this out. All will get vetted very thoroughly in Hartford."

He added that the consumer protection department wants to make sure there is enough cannabis for both the established medical marijuana dispensaries and new adult-use program and that there is proper coordination of facility openings across the state.

The hybrid cannabis retail facility will be situated in a light industrial location just off Four Mile River Road, near the northbound Exit 71 on-ramp for Interstate 95.

Zrenda and attorney Ted Harris shared detailed plans for the facility, which they said meets all zoning regulations and location restrictions, and providing more parking than what is required. In compliance with state law, Zrenda said at the April 21 public hearing that no cannabis will be consumed on the premises and the cannabis will be stored in a vault and not displayed.

According to Zrenda, security will ensure that only those who have shown identification and who have been given access will enter the building, and security will monitor conduct in the parking lot. At an earlier Zoning Commission public hearing on Oct. 21, 2021, Harris said the state requires video surveillance, adequate outside lighting and point of sale electronic tracking by the state.

According to the minutes of the April hearing, East Lyme resident Maryanne Milner stated that she was not in favor of the Zoning Commission approving the permit application due to addiction problems in the community. Two zoning commissioners also opposed the motion.

“Everyone on Zoning unanimously thought that this retail business should be 2,000 feet away from libraries, schools and churches. To me, it would follow that it should also be 2,000 feet away from any residential area,” zoning commissioner Anne Thurlow commented via e-mail.

She pointed out that the businesses along Colton Road and Capital Drive abut Rocky Neck Village, a new mixed-income housing development that consists of families with minors. Although a gate has recently been installed to prevent auto traffic flow from the facility to the residential development, children play on the grassy field, and it is an easy walk between the two properties. She is concerned about the potential for minors to interact with recreational customers of the facility given the proximity.

“I respect the opinions on both sides, however, when it came down to the vote I could not in good conscience vote to have this retail establishment so close to a development with many underage kids,” Thurlow added.

In addition to concern for the safety of young children in the area, zoning commissioner Debbie Jett-Harris voted against the motion because she said she worries about the potential for increased traffic compounding an already big issue in town. She said that based on Zrenda’s experience at the Montville medical marijuana facility, estimated traffic volume could be about 300 to 400 customers per day.

“This is going to be huge, uncharted territory. Shame on the administration for allowing this to go through,” Jett-Harris said. “We’re going to have more traffic and we’ll need more police. I hope we don’t get more accidental ingestion of edibles in children. There’s just no justification for it near a residential area.”

Resident Nickie De Sardo, 45, who has two kids in elementary school, questions whether this facility will bring anything positive to the town and worries about ongoing mental health and opiate problems.

“There are other ways to stimulate revenue. We have lots of beautiful beaches and restaurants,” De Sardo said. “I think we’re going down the wrong path.”

Harris said according to state cannabis tax regulations, 3% of Fresh Lyme Partner’s gross revenue — an estimated $700,000 to $1.2 million — will go to the town, but it must only be used toward six needs: streetscape improvements and other neighborhood developments in the hybrid retailer’s location, youth training programs, services for former offenders socially reintegrating, mental health or addiction services, youth services and civic engagement efforts.

In addition to the 3% town tax and 6.35% state sales tax, buyers will be subject to another 10% to 15% THC tax. That tax will vary based on the potency of the cannabinoid or marijuana active ingredient in the cannabis product purchased. According to Zrenda, the state requires prioritization of the needs of medical patients, so a less potent product will be accessible for adult recreational use.

Medical marijuana users in town look forward to the convenience of having the hybrid cannabis retail business in town.

Lauren Helms, 33, a resident for nine years who is a mother of twin 6-year-olds, thinks people in town have misconceptions about marijuana dispensaries and their clientele. She doesn’t think there will be a dramatic impact on the town. A medical marijuana user for three years, Helms said her experience at The Botanist, a medical marijuana dispensary in Uncasville, has been positive. She described the environment as calm, quiet and organized.

“I’m the other mom at pick-up. The person behind you at the grocery store,” said Helms “We don’t really fit the stigma. A lot of people in town use cannabis quietly.”

Heath Herel, 53, a resident for seven years, said he's had a positive experience with medical marijuana dispensaries for the past three years. He described the cannabis facilities which he has frequented in Groton and Montville as “very safe and very secure.” He has faith that Zrenda will make sure the East Lyme hybrid cannabis dispensary complies with all state and local regulations.

“She knows what she’s doing, and she knows how to run it,” he said. “It’s regulated and it’s going to be clean. All those medical marijuana regulations will be in place. They’ll just have to also cater to the adult recreational users too.”

Robert Cappelletti, co-owner of Nehantic Partners LLC, the property manager for Rocky Neck Village, wants to make sure that traffic to Fresh Lyme Partners is kept separate from the residents in the community.

“It will be immediately behind our family development. You can walk from one yard to the next,” said Cappelletti.

Although he is personally not opposed to cannabis dispensaries opening across the state, he thinks towns should be more responsible about the location.

“I would like them to at least put up a very tall and nice residential fence to not have foot traffic pass through very easily,” he said.