TRAPPE, MD - Another town in Talbot County is preparing to welcome cannabis dispensaries and manufacturing facilities as the town of Trappe discusses cannabis zoning regulations.
Town leaders are deliberating on the distances that dispensaries or manufacturing facilities would need to maintain from sensitive areas. They are considering a requirement that pot shops be at least 500 feet away from things like schools, playgrounds, or churches. Additionally, the proposed regulations say that dispensaries or facilities cannot be within a half-mile of each other and must be at least 100 feet away from residentially zoned areas.
Kimberly Hardesty, owner of Salon Inspire in Trappe, voiced her concerns about the potential impact of pot shops in the town. "I'd rather it not happen because of the smell of it. I really don't care for that, and we have such a wonderful client base here in our salon that I just feel like something like that can be off-putting," she said.
However, not everyone in Trappe shares Hardesty's opinion. Resident Stephen Leonard believes there's no harm in allowing cannabis businesses in town. "I say let it come to town. I don't see the big deal. It's legalized now. Everybody's doing it. I mean, literally, a lot of places don't even test for it anymore. I mean workplaces," Leonard said.
Trappe Council President Brian Schmidt acknowledged the mixed opinions within the community and emphasized the town's legal obligation to accommodate cannabis businesses. "We've got a lot of people that again don't want it in town, but the state is mandating that we have to have some sort of zoning ordinance for it," Schmidt said. "As well as one of the other things that was added to it, the state added to it is we can't treat it any differently as we would a bar or a liquor store or something like that."
The Trappe Town Council has scheduled a public hearing on the pot shop zoning regulations for June 5th.
