EAST HARTFORD — Another cannabis-related business is looking to locate to town, just next door to a company that was approved to build a cultivator facility last year.
The Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday approved an application for a special permit for the installation of a cannabis transporter, cannabis product manufacturer, and cannabis food and beverage manufacturer at an industrial complex at 177-221 Park Ave.
Charter Oak Manufacturing Inc., with its logistics partner, The White Oak Bridge, is the sixth cannabis-related business in town to be approved.
In the application, company officials said they are developing a multifunctional facility at 191 Park Ave. that supports cannabis and hemp industries in Connecticut.
"Our operations include cannabis logistics, distribution, and manufacturing of adult-use and medical-grade cannabis products. The facility will be developed in phases, with each phase expanding the scope of services provided to meet the growing demand in the market," officials said in the application.
Phase one would include a build-out of logistics — which encompasses the company's wholesale and cannabis transport licenses — and initial manufacturing license activation before it expires.
Phase two would include continued expansion of manufacturing capabilities, with one unit dedicated to the extraction of oils and terpenes from raw materials, which will be used to manufacture edibles and vape products, according to the application.
According to the company, phases one and two would result in a workforce of up to 40 people working in shifts. If phases one and two are built out, the workforce would increase to 60 employees.
"Our phased approach ensures that the facility develops in line with both regulatory requirements and market demand, allowing us to create jobs and contribute to the local economy while scaling operations effectively," officials said in the application.
The facility will join Michigan-based C3 Industries, which will use 241 Park Ave. to build the town's first cannabis cultivation facility.
East Hartford spokeswoman Marissa Baum said Thursday that C3 Industries is currently doing demo work on its building.
There is no a cap on how many cannabis businesses will be allowed to open in East Hartford, especially in terms of manufacturing, processing, and transport, Baum said. But the town does have zoning regulations on the placement of retail cannabis establishments that could conceivably limit them to 10, unless retailers wanted to try and open in industrial areas of town, which the community and PZC would likely oppose.
Asked if he was concerned about over-saturation of cannabis-focused businesses in town, Mayor Connor Martin said that as global perceptions around cannabis are changing along with legalization, he is not really concerned about cannabis businesses having a negative impact on the town.
"We are open to promising and viable businesses that are interested in investing in East Hartford, but also commit to holding any business accountable to any zoning regulations and other town ordinances that ensure our commerce upholds our same standards for our community," Martin said.
The application also comes with a request for a special permit to reduce overall parking requirements at the complex. In a letter to the commission, the owners, East Hartford Industrial Park LLC, which bought the property out of bankruptcy in 2016, said it has made many improvements since then. Additionally it said its tenants do not require as much parking as under the previous owner due to an overall decline in motor vehicle traffic, especially tractor trailers.
A memo from town staff has recommended approval of the special permits, with certain conditions, include an odor mitigation plan, an updated photometric plan, and exterior lighting fixture specifications.