Bay Ridge parents, pols push to block legal pot shop near schools, churches
Bay Ridge parents, pols and civic leaders are begging state regulators to reject a proposed cannabis shop near a slew of the Brooklyn neighborhood’s schools and houses of worship.
“We are writing to express our firm opposition to the proposed opening of this cannabis dispensary,” US Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and state Assembly members Michael Tannousis and Alec Brook-Krasny said in a letter to New York’s Office of Cannabis Management — referring to a pot-shop pitch for 84-12 3rd Ave., a heavily residential area.
“The opening of this cannabis dispensary will have a profound negative impact on our community’s quality of life,” the politicians claimed.
The lawmakers identified the number of schools and churches within a 1.5-block radius of the address: the Dimitrios & Georgia Kaloidis Parochial School, the Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn, Stepping Stones Nursery School, PS 185, the Bay Ridge Catholic Academy and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church and St. Anselm’s Catholic Church.
More than 200 parents showed up at a recent public hearing at the Kaloidis school objecting to the proposed pot store.
Foes have no legal power to block weed dispensaries, but they can express their opinion to the OCM.
“The establishment of an adult-use retail dispensary at this location, where there is heavy foot traffic of students (going back and forth to school) daily, would result in the increased exposure of cannabis to minors, despite regulations and age restrictions” the lawmakers said in their letter to the agency.
“The opening of this establishment would be a disruption to the nearby schools and would interfere with the sanctity of the nearby houses of worship. In consideration of these factors, we urge you to deny the opening of this cannabis dispensary at this location.”
Community Board 10 also voted against the planned weed shop, once the site of the Pilo Arts Salon, as inappropriate, given also the thousands of students who attend other schools and houses of worship nearby, including PS 185 on Ridge Boulevard, Fort Hamilton High School on Shore Road, St Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church on Ridge Blvd, the Bay Ridge Jewish Center on 81 Street and the Masjid Al Rahman Mosque on 86th Street.
“This area has a high density of foot traffic and students from the surrounding public and private schools. It is estimated that there are approximately 8,000 students in close proximity to the proposed location,” CB 10 said in a statement
“The surrounding area is primarily residential. The size of the premises will encompass three storefronts and will take up a good portion of that part of Third Avenue.”
The firm seeking to open the cannabis shop is RMAN Holdings. Its principals include Georgio Matesi as 51% owner and Amir Carvan and Edgar Kleydman.
Under the state cannabis law, municipalities across the state can opt out of opening licensed weed shops. Virtually all of the localities in Nassau County and most in Suffolk County on Long Island refused to open cannabis stores.
But New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, embraced cannabis commerce.
City and state authorities have already moved to shut down illegal pot shops in Bay Ridge, including the infamous “Gelato” store on 86th Street, as well as scores across the city.
There are 137 licensed marijuana dispensaries in the Empire State, including 62 in the city, according to the OCM website.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Adams last week announced that more than 500 illicit pot shots were padlocked by authorities under a beefed up state law.
