Council Divided on Retail Cannabis

By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA
December 2nd 2023

RICHMOND – The pressing need for economic development is the subject of discussion and debate at most Town Council meetings. New businesses would ease the property tax burden, which has been described by many residents as unsustainable, but the town has struggled to attract commercial development.

To make things worse, just up the road, another town is enjoying a substantial boost in commercial tax revenue. A retail cannabis store in the Town of Exeter has generated nearly $204,000 in tax revenue in 2023. That tax revenue is from a 3% “local tax” on retail cannabis sales.

Plant Based Compassionate Care Inc. operates the Sweetspot Dispensary, at 560 South County Trail in Exeter. It is the only cannabis retail store in South County, and the sixth outlet to receive a state license since retail recreational cannabis sales were approved in Dec. 2022. The licenses for the dispensaries were awarded in a state lottery, and up to 33 retail licenses could be awarded by the recently-formed Cannabis Control Commission.

In 2022, Rhode Island communities were given the option of asking residents to vote on whether to allow recreational cannabis sales or prohibit retail cannabis sales entirely. In towns like Exeter that did not hold a referendum, retail recreational cannabis sales are automatically permitted.

In the Richmond referendum, voters approved recreational cannabis sales in the town by a margin of 2,098 or 58.1% in favor to 1,513 0r 41.9% opposed.

Will Retail Recreational Cannabis Come to Richmond?

It is not known when or even if Richmond might be in the running for a recreational cannabis store.

Town Solicitor Karen Ellsworth said the new Cannabis Control Commission is still getting its bearings.

“The new law has not yet fully taken effect, because it’s going to be under the control of the new Cannabis Control Commission, and that commission has not yet promulgated regulations to the best of my knowledge,” she said. “So, the only places that are selling retail cannabis now are the places that were already in existence before the state law was changed. … Right now, they’re not issuing any new licenses, because the commission is just getting started.”

Differing Opinions on Town Council

At the Sept. 19 Town Council meeting, council members discussed zoning ordinance amendments that would designate areas in town where recreational cannabis can be sold.

The council approved two new use codes, “cannabis business” and “cannabis retailer.”

Retail cannabis sales will be permitted in several zones: general business, light industrial, industrial, planned development, planned unit development-village center and, by special use permit, in the neighborhood business zone.

Voting in favor of the amendments were council President Mark Trimmer, and councilors Samantha Wilcox and Helen Sheehan. Council Vice President Richard Nassaney and councilor Michael Colasante remained opposed to retail cannabis sales. Sheehan, who supports Colasante on most issues, voted in favor of the amendments, saying she felt she had to respect the will of the voters.

Nassaney said, in a recent interview, that his opposition was as strong as ever.

“It’s not about the tax dollars, it’s about the safety of our children of our children and our police officers and the public in general,” he said. “It’s a safety issue for me, and a moral standard. Our children are bombarded with far too many things. There’s no need for them to be subject to more drugs. We have enough drugs in our town, from opioids to alcohol. Why add another one? It’s not about tax dollars. It has never been about tax dollars for me.”

For Trimmer, however, it IS all about tax dollars – revenue that’s being generated in a neighboring town, and customers driving right through Richmond on their way to Exeter.

“In my personal opinion, and I’m only speaking for myself, I believe that retail marijuana is the same as retail alcohol, and if there was a retail marijuana facility right next to Wyoming Liquors, I wouldn’t complain,” he said. “I think that would be great. I’d probably shop there. I shop at Sweetspot in Exeter.”

Asked how he felt having to travel to Exeter to purchase cannabis, Trimmer said,

“It does drive me crazy and it drives me crazy that they’re eating our lunch and they didn’t even have to vote on it.”