City Council votes 7-0 to introduce an ordinance banning marijuana and hashish sales in Ocean City.
By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Ocean City was founded by Methodist ministers in 1879 as a dry resort town that bans the sale of alcohol. Now, the city wants to ban the sale of marijuana in the aftermath of New Jersey's legalization of cannabis last month.
Voting 7-0, City Council introduced an ordinance Thursday night that would prohibit businesses that cultivate, manufacture, test or sell marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia.
The measure would ban marijuana facilities within one-quarter mile of a school, church, recreational or sports facility, the Boardwalk and any residential area. It would effectively outlaw businesses from selling marijuana, hashish or pot paraphernalia in all parts of town.
The Mayor and City Council believe there is no area of the city which can safely house a business selling marijuana, cannabis or hashish or the paraphernalia that facilitates use of the same, the ordinance says.
The ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing and final vote at the April 8 council meeting. It will also be reviewed by the city's Zoning Board to make sure it is consistent with local zoning laws.
There was little discussion Thursday night during the ordinance's introduction. However, the council members joined with Mayor Jay Gillian at the governing body's Feb. 25 meeting to strongly denounce the state's legalization of recreational marijuana, saying it was nothing short of insanity.
It's just ridiculous. I just can't fathom this, Gillian said at the Feb. 25 meeting amid unanimous agreement from the Council members.
At one point, Gillian bluntly added, This disgusts me.
On Feb. 22, Gov. Phil Murphy signed three bills to legalize pot for adults 21 and older and to decriminalize it for people under 21.
From the start, Ocean City's Council has objected to marijuana's legalization, passing an ordinance in 2019 to ban the sale of pot in a town that bills itself as America's Greatest Family Resort. At that time, the governor and state Legislature were discussing the possibility of legalizing marijuana.
City Solicitor Dorothy McCrosson explained that the 2019 ordinance became invalid once New Jersey formally legalized cannabis. However, the new state legislation gives municipalities 180 days to reinstate their prohibition of marijuana sales.
As a dry town, Ocean City has banned alcohol sales since its founding as a Christian resort. The ban on alcohol sales is a centerpiece of the city's image as a safe, family-style summer vacation retreat.
Council members have expressed concerns that the city's family-friendly reputation could be harmed if marijuana is sold in town and people simply begin smoking pot in popular tourist areas, such as the Boardwalk.
I'm 1,000 percent zero tolerance on this, City Council President Bob Barr said at Feb. 25 meeting of his opposition to legal recreational marijuana.
Murphy and other marijuana advocates say the drug's legalization in New Jersey will end the injustice of blacks being arrested for possession of pot at higher rates than whites.
During Thursday's meeting, an official with a labor union that represents cannabis workers urged council to reconsider its proposed ban on marijuana sales. He said the cannabis industry will be a critical source of jobs for New Jersey workers in years to come.
Hugh Giordano, a representative of Local 152 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, also asked council to allow the sale of medical marijuana at Ocean City pharmacies.
Two New Jersey residents who live outside Ocean City made similar appeals to council. Both of them said they use medical marijuana and would like to have a pharmacy or cannabis dispensary they could stop at when they visit Ocean City.
