Group Looking to Produce Medical Marijuana Reiterates Desire to Locate in Simsbury

Representatives of a group looking to secure one of just three initial state licenses to produce medical marijuana made it clear Monday night that Simsbury is still their preferred location.

Simsbury resident Dwight H. Merriam, an attorney with Robinson & Cole, is now working with the group and appeared at a Zoning Commission public hearing Monday night concerning a proposal to amend the town’s regulation’s with language concerning “Marijuana: Palliative Use; Dispensaries; Producers.” 

A hearing on that proposal opened last year but had never closed.

The regulations were unanimously accepted but first commission members emphasized that they would actually give the town greater control by restricting the uses to certain zones and requiring a special exception.

Zoning chairman Robert D. Pomeroy Jr. also reiterated that there was no formal application for any facility and that the commission was simply dealing with the proposed amendment.

Still Merriam emphasized that it was important to the potential producers to have the matter settled by the Nov. 15 state application deadline. The group is fine with knowing that they would have to apply for a special exception but could not pursue the site if the rules were up in the air, he said.  

“This team has an alternative location to Simsbury but would greatly prefer to be here,” Merriam said.

With no further input Monday night, the zoning commission did unanimously adopt the regulations. 

After the vote, Eileen Konieczny, an oncology nurse and advocate involved in the effort, expressed her appreciation.

“It’s going to be fabulous,” she said. “We’re really, really appreciative of the zoning commission.”

Konieczny, who spoke passionately about the issue at a Oct. 7, 2013 Simsbury Zoning Commission meeting, is one the principals in the group. The others mentioned at the meeting include Collinsville resident and business owner April Arrasate, an attorney with a pharmaceutical background, and Robert Birnbaum of Greenwich. 

At the earlier meeting Konieczny spoke about the history of cannibas as medicine, how it had been altered for recreational use, and said the group’s packaged product would not even appeal to those just looking for a high. At that meeting Konieczny also touched on the security, research and potential economic benefits such a facility would bring to town. See that earlier story here. 

On Monday Merriam said he still could not reveal the potential location or trade names but said he was honored to be working with such a well-organized and funded group.

“We’re fortunate at Robinson and Cole to have been retained by an impressive group,” he said.  

He did acknowledge to the commission that there would likely be many others also seeking just one of three initial state of Connecticut licenses for production under the 2012 "An Act Concerning The Palliative Use Of Marijuana." 

If the group were chosen and the group also came to a formal agreement on the potential location, it would need to submit a formal application to the town. 

See more about the state's Medical Marijuana program here.