BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — A pot shop planned for the Tractor Supply plaza on U.S. Route 11 has a green light from the town. The shop could be open for business by the end of July.

The state is expected to approve a licensee to run the pot shop sometime next week.

Potsdam town board members voted at their meeting Tuesday, May 9 to approve the application to remodel the former Olympia Sports shop at 7473/7483 U.S. Highway 11 to allow a cannabis dispensary to occupy the space.

The Potsdam town planning board last week approved a site plan to remodel the shop from Al Burgazoli, senior project manager of the Albany-based AOW Construction, the contractor hired to modify the existing retail space.

Burgazoli attended the town board meeting May 9 and gave a brief overview of the project to town officials.

The project manager said he will receive stamped plans for the shop in about one and a half to two weeks. After that the town code enforcement office will sign off on a permit. Burgazoli expected work to start as soon as mid June and said the shop could be open by the end of July or the middle of August, depending on availability of materials.

“It’s very similar to any other retail sales,” said Burgazoli, describing how dispensaries work for the board. He said the cannabis sold in the shop will all be prepackaged. Purchases will be done with cash only.

The project manager said security issues are often concerns for residents in the towns where dispensaries are located.

“There is a high level of security with this project,” he said. “Basically every inch of the place is covered with cameras that are visible and they act as a deterrent because they are so visible and they’re everywhere.”

He said the shop will be a “very secure location” and that customers can’t just walk into the store directly from the street. Instead they will enter the store through a vestibule and will first be greeted by the front counter attendant who will ask the customer to present identification. From there they will be guided into the shop and will be assisted by a store employee with their purchase.

The store will be “sleek” said Burgazoli, with modern design and glass cabinets.

However, he said the real heart of the store will be the secure “vault” where marijuana will be kept in the back of the shop where customers will not be permitted.

According to the site plan filed by AOL with the town planning board, the remodeling work will include selective demolition, cutting and patching, and installation of metal framed drywall partitions, acoustical ceilings, millwork, doors, frames, hardware and a security system.

Even with a recent zoning law passed by the town board on the books, Potsdam’s say in allowing marijuana businesses inside the town borders is minimal, with the whole process ultimately being governed by the state. The town can specify which zone a pot shop can be located and can say what its operating hours might be, but that’s about it.

Under state law, the shop would be run by a state-approved Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license holder. Under the state’s licensure policy, at least 30 percent of ownership of that license must be by a former inmate convicted of a marijuana offense, who has qualifying business experience.

New York State rerouted $200 million in taxpayer dollars from the 2022 state budget into a fund to provide start-up cash and financial assistance to support these license holders.

The process is governed by the Dormitory Authority State of New York (DASNY). Learn more about how cannabis dispensaries are being set up around the state at https://bit.ly/3IF9fm3 .