Community Education Council 24 (CEC 24) is set to vote on a resolution that would call on the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to deny an application for a new cannabis dispensary in Maspeth, which CEC members contend is slated to open within 500 feet of an entrance to PS 58.
The dispensary, which is planned for 71-10 Grand Ave., would be located directly adjacent to PS 58, the School of Heroes, a K-5 school serving hundreds of local families.
The CEC 24 resolution, sponsored by Council President Matthew Crescio, argues that the dispensary is located 446 feet from an entrance to the school and violates a New York state law mandating that dispensaries cannot open within 500 feet of schools. CEC 24 will vote on the resolution at a meeting on July 22.
Crescio said the entrance in question is not the school’s main entrance and is predominately used for students from pre-K to first grade. He argued that the proposed site for the dispensary is especially concerning because it could “normalize” cannabis use among the school’s youngest students.
The resolution, which Crescio expects to pass unanimously, calls on OCM to deny the application filed by Kevin Windham and Green Enterprise Holdings, LLC.
Crescio said the dispensary is located more than 500 feet from the school’s main entrance but said a significant number of students enter through the school’s auditorium, which is located 446 feet from the proposed dispensary.
He said CEC 24 first became aware of plans to open a dispensary at the location in February after being contacted by the office of Council Member Robert Holden on the issue. Crescio said the space has since undergone renovation and is now awaiting OCM approval before it can open its doors.
CEC 24 has attempted to communicate with OCM about the issue but has received no response, Crescio alleged. QNS has also reached out to OCM for comment.
Holden and other elected officials expressed concerns about the proposed dispensary in a letter to the New York State Cannabis Control Board in April, alleging that OCM had “made an error” by determining that the location meets the legal buffer from school property.
Holden, along with U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, Assembly Member Steven Raga, State Sen. Mike Gianaris, Queens Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano and members of the Juniper Park Civic Association, and the COMET Civic Association, urged OCM to deny the application for the dispensary.
“This is not a matter of interpretation. The law is clear, and our independent measurement—based on publicly accessible reference points—shows that the applicant’s proposed location falls short of the required distance,” officials and advocates said in the letter.
Officials stated that they had independently verified that the dispensary is located within 500 feet of the school.
“To ensure accuracy, we also verified the distance using a Measure Master Roltape Corporation Measuring Wheel, which confirmed the measurement at approximately 446 feet.”
In a statement, Holden outlined community opposition to the dispensary.
“There are rules for these shops for a reason, and we are confident that the State is not abiding by those rules,” Holden said. “The community is opposed to this location, and we will continue to fight against it.”
Similarly, Meng called on the proposed dispensary and the OCM to “follow the law.”
“These types of facilities have to adhere to the required distances from schools,” Meng said in a statement. “They must follow the law.”
Crescio, meanwhile, believes that particular stretch of Grand Avenue is not a good fit for a cannabis dispensary, regardless of whether it is within 500 feet of a school entrance or not. He noted that Maspeth High School and IS 73 are both located in the area, adding that approximately 2,500 students per day will walk past the dispensary.
“It should not be in that area,” Crescio said. “It is promoting cannabis to young children in the area of different grades.”
Crescio believes that any dispensary that opens in Maspeth should be located at least four blocks away from the current location.
“There are plenty of locations along Grand Avenue that suitable for this dispensary that are not students’ main access point to get to school,” Crescio said. “You go down four blocks and you’re not near any schools. It’s not near the transportation route. It’s not where the bus stops are, where kids are getting off to go to school.”
Crescio is hopeful that the resolution will have the desired impact and prevent the dispensary from opening at the location. He said CEC 24 represents the interests of over 42,000 students in the district, adding that the resolution will speak for the concerns of the community.
“We’re hoping that the Cannabis Board will listen to the concerns of the community,” Crescio said.
