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Meeting on Lake Placid cannabis sales slated next week

LAKE PLACID — The North Elba Town Council and Lake Placid Village board will host a virtual meeting next week to discuss whether to opt in or out of allowing cannabis sales and issuing on-site consumption licenses here.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law on March 31 allowing recreational marijuana use by adults 21 years old and older. The law gives municipalities the option of banning dispensaries, declining to offer on-site consumption licenses to businesses or even imposing civil fines for violations, although consumption of cannabis will still be legal.

To opt in to allowing dispensaries, municipalities do nothing. To opt out, elected officials must pass a local law banning them by Dec. 31.

There will be a 13% tax on sales of marijuana products — with the state giving a 3% cut to municipalities and 1% to counties who opt in.

The town of North Elba issued a new release on Wednesday that said the Sept. 29 meeting will not be a “public hearing” — a legal term for a meeting about a specific law — and that a decision to opt in or out of allowing dispensaries will not be made that night.

“The purpose of this virtual information session is to review the (state) law and take public comment on whether or not to allow dispensaries and/or on-site consumption lounges in town and village limits,” the news release reads.

Sara Brancatella, legislative director and counsel for the New York Association of Towns, will join the meeting virtually to give a short presentation. The floor will then be open to questions and comments, which will be limited to two minutes, according to the town’s news release.

The meeting will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Those interested in attending can join the meeting virtually at www.global.gotomeeting.com/join/184794053, or call into the meeting by dialing 1-872-240-3212. The access code for the meeting is 184-794-053.

The town and village will be accepting public comments for 10 days after the meeting. Comments can be sent to Community Development Director Haley Breen at hbreen@northelba.org.

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