The Hoboken Planning Board Subdivision and Site Plan Committee said that the cannabis dispensary applications for Blue Violets and Jersey Joint applicants can proceed at a brief completeness review last night.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
Blue Violets received approval by the city’s cannabis review board in April to operate at 628 Washington St.
Last night’s hearing came about after Councilwomen Tiffanie Fisher and Jen Giattino, along with resident Elizabeth Urtecho, asked for the planning board not to let the application move forward since they didn’t submit their application until April 29th – the day after Hoboken’s new “common sense” cannabis regulations took effect.
“Whether Blue Violets is a good business or not is not at issue here. Just it’s proposed location and its conflict with Hoboken’s laws. We know that the Cannabis Review Board, which is just an advisory board, treated the applicant as being ‘grandfathered’ at the time of the hearing which was a week before our new laws came into effect,” their June 14th letter says.
“This should have no bearing on how the Hoboken Planning Board applies the ‘time of application’ laws that have specific jurisdiction on what is a separate land use application and process.”
They also took umbrage with the fact that the proposed cannabis business is less than 250 feet from Hoboken Charter and All Saints Day School.
However, Jason Goodelman, counsel for Blue Violents, said during last night’s Zoom hearing that all “jurisdictional questions have been satisfied” and the three-person committee concurred.
“I think at this point you’re ready to go. The issues have been addressed. The time of application concern was minor. I wanted to be sure there are no issues later on,” Planning Board Chair Frank Magaletta explained.
On review, the application received unanimous approval (3-0), with Magaletta indicating that a full hearing would likely occur in the early fall.
“The Planning Board just determined the legal claims against us had no merit, so at our hearing, the planning board will review our application against the earlier ordinances that we applied under, which of course, we comply with,” Maxwell Thompson, who co-owns Blue Violets with his wife Lauren Jordan Chang Thompson, told HCV.
In an Instagram post, they did a victory lap over clearing this first obstacle.
“IT’S OFFICIAL! 🎉 #hoboken ‘s Planning Board denied legal challenges against us and confirmed that our application can move forward! 🚀,” the Blue Violets account posted.
” … BUT we still need our ‘resolution of support’ from the @hobokennj City Council. Tune in next week to find out what hurdle the City will put up for us next! Will it be wrestling an elephant? 🐘 A battle of wits? 🍷 Calculus?? 📚 The possibilities are endless…”
Additionally, the application of Jersey Joint, proposed for 1427 Grand St., an adult-use cannabis dispensary, was also reviewed for completion.
“This is a little unusual,” began Jersey Joint attorney Jason Tuvel, noting that construction of the building itself has already been approved and is underway.
“We’re really pursuing this approval based on prior approval. We’re just an interior fit-out of that approval. The cannabis facility here will take up the first two floors of the building,” Tuvel said.
He also explained the dispensary will be on the ground floor, with Jersey Joint’s office on the second floor, which are being built to comply with flood prevention standards.
“No consistency review is required at this time,” Planner George Wheatle Williams said, and it was later noted the building’s construction was approved in compliance with the North End Redevelopment Plan.
“I thought they (the cannabis review board) said the Jersey Joint signage shouldn’t say ‘joint.’ What’s happening with the exterior?,” Magaletta asked.
“I will check with the client. The CRB resolution was actually obtained after we submitted the application to the planning board. That would have to be modified,” Tuvel said.
“At the hearing … your client agreed there wouldn’t be a sign saying the word ‘joint,’” Magaletta continued.
Planning Board Commissioner Lea Cloud noted that there seemed to be some inconsistencies regarding parking.
“There seems to be a conflict between the CBD review panel report and the planning report relative to the amount of parking spaces. One is at seven and one is at 17. No delivery could park outside, and there is no curb cut there. How are deliveries being made?,” she questioned.
“We’ll address that. It’s new to everybody. I will have the operator go through the testimony in how the site functions,” Tuvel replied.
“We’re hearing a lot about that,” Cloud said.
“We’ll go through that. I promise,” Tuvel added.
Magaletta chimed in that the applicant “did an excellent job” on their impact report before the committee again gave unanimous approval (3-0) for completeness.
This guy is a cancer on Hoboken, he stalls all that is good and lets this garbage go through.
He thinks he’s planning genius, but he’s nothing more than a Bhalla/ Doyle lawyer puppet
Will Magaletta start fast tracking sex shops?