The Auburn City Council is considering a change to the hours of operation for licensed cannabis dispensaries in the city.
On Friday’s FLX Morning on Finger Lakes News Radio, City Clerk Chuck Mason says Auburn currently has two state-licensed cannabis facilities. The city first added language addressing cannabis businesses to its zoning code about four years ago, before updating it again after New York State finalized its own regulations. Dispensaries have now been operating legally in Auburn for just over a year.
After that first year of operation, Mason says the dispensaries asked the city to adjust the hours they are allowed to operate.
Under the current city code, cannabis dispensaries can operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Council members are now considering changing those hours to 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., which Mason says would better reflect the needs of the businesses.
The proposal received its first reading during Thursday night’s city council meeting. Mason says council members also discussed the issue with Auburn Police Chief Matthew Androsko, who noted the hours would be similar to those set for liquor stores.
The next step will be a public hearing before the Auburn Planning Board during its April 7 meeting. The proposal would then return to the city council later in April for a final vote.
Mason says it appeared during the Thursday discussion that council members generally support the change.
The city has also seen financial benefits from legal cannabis sales. Mason says Auburn has received more than $130,000 in revenue from the state’s cannabis excise tax during the first year of dispensary operations. A portion of that tax is distributed to local municipalities and counties.
Mason says the two licensed shops in Auburn have operated without major issues.
He also noted that authorities have worked to crack down on illegal cannabis sales at smoke shops. Mason says the city has worked closely with the New York State Office of Cannabis Management and local law enforcement to shut down businesses selling cannabis products without proper licenses.
According to Mason, several illicit smoke shops in the region have been closed in recent years, and Auburn officials continue monitoring businesses to ensure they follow state and local regulations.
