A.
Local license required.
(1)
No person, firm, corporation or other entity may own or operate a cannabis establishment without first having acquired an annual local license in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(2)
The initial local license term shall commence immediately upon the issuance of the initial local license and shall expire on December 31 of that calendar year. Each renewed local license shall be valid for a one-year period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31 of the calendar year.
B.
Local licensing authority.
(1)
The Economic Development and Community Development committee of the City of Salem, in conjunction with the Administrative Officer, and the City Council are hereby designated to act as the local licensing authority for the City of Salem for all cannabis establishments. Under all circumstances in which state law requires communication to the City by the Commission or any other state agency with regard to the licensing of cannabis establishments by the state, or in which state law requires any review or approval by the City of any action taken by the state licensing authority, the exclusive authority for receiving such communications and granting such approvals shall be exercised by the City Council and Administrative Officer.
(2)
Under no circumstances shall a local license for a cannabis establishment service be effective unless or until the state has issued the required permits or licenses to operate such a facility, including the state license. It is the intent of this chapter that no cannabis establishment may lawfully operate in the City of Salem without the issuance of a state license and full regulatory oversight of the cannabis establishment by the Commission or other state licensing authority as well as oversight and issuance of a license by the City.
C.
The City may only issue local licenses for cannabis classes as permitted in Chapter 130 of the Salem City code. The City may also issue microbusiness licenses where applicable.
D.
Requirements. In order to be granted a local cannabis license for the operation of any state licensed cannabis retail business or delivery business situated in the City of Salem, the following conditions, along with all other requirements of this chapter, must be satisfied:
(1)
Completion of all forms, checklists, and other submissions as may be required by the City;
(2)
Payment of all applicable local fees, including inspection and licensing fees;
(3)
Demonstration that all applicable state licenses have been obtained;
(4)
Passage of all applicable state and local inspections required to be completed prior to the beginning of operations and/or renewal of any state and/or local license;
(5)
Emergency contact information to be utilized by police, fire, and EMT personnel in the event of an on-site emergency; and
(6)
Submission of a full copy of the application for state licensure, via hard copy or digitally, with pages prominently marked "CONFIDENTIAL" as appropriate for purposes of compliance with New Jersey's Open Public Records Act (NOTE: pages not marked as confidential will be disclosed in response to an applicable OPRA request).
E.
In order to be granted a business license for the operation of any state licensed cannabis retail or cannabis delivery business situated in the City of Salem, the licensee shall pay the local license fee as indicated below, which shall also be due annually upon renewal of the local license.
(1)
State-licensed cannabis retailers and delivery businesses: $5,000 per location.
F.
Reinvestment of local license fees. Local license fees from licensed cannabis establishments shall be used for public education and/or increased public safety in the area surrounding the cannabis establishment. A separate account shall be established for collection and disbursement of said funds with the advice and consent of the City Council.
G.
Applications for a local license shall be considered on a rolling basis. In the event multiple applicants are under consideration at the same time, the City shall evaluate those applications and issue a notification of award after consideration and evaluation of the application and supporting materials. The City may award a conditional local license, which will not be effective until all of the conditions of the conditional local license have been satisfied. The City reserves the right to reject any application at its sole discretion.