Two Additional Cannabis Dispensaries Proposed For Bellmawr

(Updated: September 1, 2023 at 12:05 p.m. This post has been updated to consolidate all of the information from two posts into one article and also to include additional new information.)*

On September 11, 2023, the Bellmawr Joint Land Use Board will hold public hearings for two separate applicants who are seeking approval to operate cannabis retail dispensaries.

If those two dispensaries are approved, it will bring the number of cannabis dispensaries in the Borough to three, and there is the potential for more dispensaries to be open.

*At the August 31, 2023 monthly meeting of Mayor and Council, an Ordinance was passed on first reading/introduction which provides for the addition of two additional Dispensary Licenses (Class 5) in the conditionally permitted use overlay zone.

There will be a second reading/public hearing on this Ordinance.

Coolidge & Essex Avenues

Organic Leaf, LLC c/o Paras Bandaria seeks conditional use approval to operate a cannabis retail store at 80 Coolidge and 171 Essex Avenues.

This proposed location is across the street from the Curaleaf dispensary.

The applicant proposes to construct an addition, along with converting a single-family home, into retail space on Lot 8 (80 Coolidge Avenue) as well as a parking lot to be located on the new proposed Lot 8 (80 Coolidge and 171 Essex Avenues to be consolidated).

The Applicant will request approval of any and all variances, waivers, and exceptions, along with any permits requested or required.

Harding Avenue

CGT New Jersey LLC also seeks approval from the Bellmawr Joint Land Use Board to construct a 4,150 square-foot Class 5 cannabis retail business at 143 Harding Avenue.

The property is located in the Borough’s Light Industrial (LI) Zone. It is approximately 0.9 acres and is currently improved with a multi-tenant commercial building, parking lot, and other site improvements.

The application seeks Minor Site Plan Approval (and Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan approval, if required) together with Conditional Use Approval and design waiver/exception relief to operate an approximately 4,150 square foot Class 5 cannabis retail business in the existing multi-tenant commercial building and to construct related site improvements for parking areas, lighting, landscaping, and signage.

A few businesses that are also occupying space at 143 Harding Avenue include Raw Health Canine Food, Camden Iron and Metal, and Sriven/SV Labs-New Jersey, which is a cannabis testing lab.

Land Development for Site Plan and Variance Approval

The Joint Land Use Board will also hear an application for Land Development for Site Plan and Variance Approval for properties located at 25 West Browning Road, 31 West Browning Road, 28 West Chestnut Avenue, and 24 West Chestnut Avenue.

Bellfour Holdings, LLC for Land Development seeks Site Plan and Variance Approval for those properties, which are located in Bellmawr’s Light Industrial (“LI”) Zoning District.

The Applicant proposes to:

• Utilize the existing building at 25 West Browning Road for a first-floor light industrial space and a second-floor 2-bedroom apartment.
• Utilize the existing building at 31 West Browning Road for a first-floor 1-bedroom apartment, the Imperial Custom Metals use, and a second-floor 2-bedroom apartment.
• Consolidate the 31 West Browning Road lot and the West Chestnut Avenue lots into one lot
• Construct a 2,975-square-foot accessory building for the Imperial Custom Metals’ use
• Provide cross easements for access and parking between lots and install other site improvements, including landscaping and lighting.
• The Applicant also requests a Certificate of Non-Conforming Use Approval for the residential apartment uses at the 25 and 31 West Browning Road properties.

To the extent that additional approvals, variances, waivers, and exceptions are needed to implement these plans, those approvals, variances, waivers, and exceptions are being sought.

The Joint Land Use Board will hear all of the applications at the Bellmawr Municipal Building, 21 E. Browning Road on Monday, September 11, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.