New London―The Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday amended a zoning regulation on cannabis sales that would now allow a proposed shop to open on Bank Street.

The applicant, Curaleaf’s Joint Venture, is proposing a retail cannabis shop at 595 Bank St., the vacant former home of Fall River Pawn Brokers.

Curaleaf is a national company that operates four medical marijuana dispensaries in Connecticut, including one in Groton.

The property for the proposed dispensary, however, is within 500 feet of a small corner piece of the city-owned property where New London Birth to Age 8 Early Childhood Resource Center at B.P. Learned Mission is located. The 40 Shaw St. school is home to pre-kindergarten and afterschool programs.

Regulations passed by the Planning and Zoning Commission earlier this year allow cultivation and retail sale of marijuana in many areas of the city but bar retail sale of marijuana “if the lot upon which said building or premises is located is within 500 feet from any lot on which is located a public or private school, library, public playground, park or recreational facility.”

At a July 21 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, Patrik Jonsson, who represents Curaleaf’s Joint Venture and is the former regional president of Curaleaf, said the distance between the B.P. Learned and 595 Bank St. buildings is 780 feet, while the distance from the 595 Bank St. building to the B.P. Learned property is 516 feet.

The parcels, however, are 467 feet apart at the closest point, he said.

Jonsson said he thought the fact the two parcels are separated by a four-lane roadway, other lots and fences might be a mitigating factor in the commission’s decision.

But Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Barry Levine said the language in the regulations is clear: “it’s the lot lines and not the buildings.”

Following the July 21 meeting, Curaleaf applied for an amendment to alter zoning regulations so that a building, and not the property in which a marijuana dispensary is located, cannot be within 500 feet of a school, library or park property.

On Thursday, the commission reviewed the proposed text and discussed Curaleaf’s application to change the regulation, aware it would not just impact Curaleaf’s plans for 595 Bank St. but future applications.

To stay consistent with other regulations, Commissioner John Strafaci suggested using the front main entrance of the retail use as the measuring point of what cannot be within 500 feet of a school, library or park property.

Commissioner Adam Sprecace opposed the recommendation and instead suggested measuring from structure to structure. He said where a front door exists on a piece of property can be manipulated and there can be an additional structure at the property within 500 feet.

Chairperson Levine said the front door is “the closest you can get to the activity inside.”

The commission ultimately voted 5-2 to amend the regulation so that the retail sale of cannabis would be barred if “the main entrance of said building is located within 500 feet from any lot on which is located a public or private school, library, public playground, park or recreational facility.”

The amended regulation will go into affect Sept. 18. Curaleaf’s Joint Venture’s application on 595 Bank St. still awaits the commission’s consideration.

j.vazquez@theday.com

Editor’s note: this version has been updated to reflect the correct vote count, 5-2.