The Pelham Manor Board of Trustees Monday passed Local Law 3 of 2021, blocking the opening of cannabis dispensaries in the village.  

The local law takes advantage of the opt-out allowing municipalities to bar the opening of cannabis dispensaries or on-site consumption establishments if they act by Dec. 31. To opt out, a town must propose the law, notify citizens in advance of it and hold a local hearing. The public hearing was set for Monday at the board meeting two weeks ago.

Residents can petition for a referendum on the law within 45 days.

The opt out was included in New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which was signed in March and legalized marijuana.

After the board unanimously voiced support for the law, residents were encouraged to step up and speak during the public hearing before the vote.

Mr. Gerber inquired about the board members’ overall stance on the legalization of cannabis, which they were unclear on. As expected, the proposal passed unanimously. 

• The Village of Pelham board heard from an expert about options on permitting or barring cannabis establishments

The removal of a stop sign on Roosevelt and Pelhamdale and the addition of a stop sign on Mount Tom Road were discussed. Mr. and Mrs. Childs, residents for more twenty years, were upset that they only received word of the change hours before the meeting started and that it would negatively impact their ability to get in and out of their driveway every day.

Mr. Gerber complained the stop sign addition/removal wouldn’t change the traffic pattern, as people were already speeding through the existing stop signs. He presented evidence of a four-minute long data session and calculated that one-third of the cars observed the traffic signs correctly by coming to a full stop.

Mayor Jennifer Monachino Lapey decided to delay the vote and promised better monitoring of the intersections in the future. 

Tropical Storm Ida assistance checks were also mentioned as the Federal Emergency Management Agency is starting to come to residents. Village Manager John Pierpont gave an overview of the drainage system, the treasury report and briefed on the paving of Pelhamdale, promising the village would get 10 to 15 more years out of the road. 

Monday’s meeting, as well as past meetings, can be viewed here. The next board of trustees meeting is scheduled for Oct. 26.