Hoboken Councilwoman Fisher: “It’s tough to compete against the future Governor of NJ”

Fisher Responds to Planning Board Approval of the Fulop Sponsored Cannabis Dispensary in Hoboken

Hoboken, NJ (November 2, 2022).  After 35 hours of testimony across seven public hearings at three boards, with the public opposition every step of the way, at 1:30 am today the Hoboken Planning Board struggled, but voted 8-0 in favor of the high-volume cannabis dispensary that is proposed for one of the most densely populated, residential areas in New Jersey.  In their deliberation, the board expressed their concern about the potentially negative impact the expected large crowds may have on the surrounding neighborhood.  The dispensary will be located in a property acquired in November 2021 by Jersey City Mayor Fulop’s wife and close friend.  Tiffanie Fisher, Councilwoman for Hoboken’s 2^nd Ward where the dispensary will be, provides the following statement:

“It’s tough to compete against the future governor.” said Councilwoman Fisher of Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop. “Especially one who stands to make a quick $500,000 if the application is approved,” referencing the lease terms for the new dispensary. “Seriously though, it was not the outcome we had hoped but I could not be prouder of my neighbors and my community who came out for each meeting to defend our neighborhood.”

Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher was joined by 40 Hoboken neighbors at last night’s meeting who argued that the expected high customer volumes from the proposed dispensary will create public safety, pedestrian safety and traffic and parking burdens for the approximate 7,000 residents who live within three blocks of the dispensary, including many families with young children and seniors.

“The fact that our state laws allow this to happen, allows a risky business like this to be in a densely populated residential area and at the base of a residential condo building, without the consent of the home owners above is unconscionable.” said Fisher.  “And Mayor Fulop seeking to profit from this is as well.”

The residents further posited that the operator provided no information regarding expected customer volumes, which was core to the concerns and that testimony provided by the operator of the dispensary should not be relied upon because of repeated, inconsistent testimony throughout the hearings, including relating to the ownership of the dispensary.

“From the onset, all three boards that this applicant came before were told that this dispensary is a local, female and minority owned and operated small business with an experienced consultant helping with operations.  But as we learned, this is not true and just a cover for what is actually one of the largest cannabis dispensary operators in the U.S.” said Fisher.  “Definitely not the spirit of the state law.”

The proposed Story Dispensary is affiliated with Jason Vedadi and Howard Hintz, two of the largest players in the cannabis industry in the U.S., and Aaron Epstein, former business partner with Assemblyman Raj Mukherji at Garden State Dispensary.  The dispensary will occupy the commercial space previously occupied by the Hudson Tavern in Hoboken, and now owned jointly by Jaclyn Fulop and Drew Nussbaum, Chairman of the Fulop Super PAC Coalition for Progress.  Fulop and Nussbaum purchased the property in November 2021 for $2.4 million, using a $1.8 million loan from BCB Bank.  They signed a lease with Vedadi in April and in exchange for securing all necessary approvals, the lease gives Vedadi the option to purchase the property for $3.4 million as early as December.

In August 2021, the Bhalla administration and Councilman Mike Russo introduced requisite “opt in” legislation to allow Hoboken to have a local cannabis industry.  Further changes added to this ordinance were eliminating the cap on the number of dispensaries which would have resulted in as many as 35 dispensaries in Hoboken, and allowing dispensaries in neighborhood commercial zones for the first time, including the location of the proposed Story Dispensary.  Councilwoman Fisher and three other councilmembers have said publicly they were unaware of these last minute additions when they voted in favor and as soon as it was discovered, led the effort to pass Hoboken’s Common Sense Cannabis regulations which reinstated a cap of 6 dispensaries, removed cannabis dispensaries from neighborhood commercial areas, and further restricted dispensaries from being within 600 feet of schools.

The dispensary still needs approval by the Hoboken City Council which is not yet scheduled, but could be as early as November 14^th as well as NJ State CRC approval.  The dispensary is also subject to litigation by the residential condominium association against the principals involved alleging fraud, among other things, for representing to the seller in writing before it closed, and the residents of the condo association, that the use would be a medical office.