Over 500 applicants are hoping to open up a recreational marijuana dispensary in Delaware — 15 will find out if they’ve been chosen this month.
The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) previously distributed business licenses for those looking to open up manufacturing, cultivation and testing facilities in Delaware, as well as participants of the social equity program.
But due to exceptional interest, OMC held off on holding a lottery to get through all of the open retail, or dispensary, applications.
Marijuana Commissioner Rob Coupe announced those 15 licenses will now be awarded on Dec. 19 around 1-2p.m. — the same date that current license awardees need to submit their supplemental applications by.
“This is more in depth – their plans have to be more in depth. They'll go through a financial background. We have a responsibility to see where their funds are coming from to make sure that everything's on the up and up and make sure that there's no risk there to the state if they have a history of financial irresponsibility," Coupe said during a Marijuana Control Act Oversight Committee meeting.
Once all the application materials are in, Coupe says the office will begin conducting background checks. The recreational industry is still set to open around March of next year.
Coupe also announced Del Tech’s cannabis industry curriculum is set to launch in late January, providing workforce development training for those looking to enter the recreational marijuana business.
Concurrently, New Castle County (NCC) is proposing one of the least restrictive zoning ordinances for recreational marijuana businesses so far.
The proposal is recommending retail marijuana locations be at least 1,000 ft from sensitive locations, such as substance abuse treatment facilities, schools, places of worship, day care centers and so on. Additionally, locations cannot open up within a mile of an existing retail marijuana store.
Middletown and New Castle have already banned recreational marijuana business, Newark has approved very restrictive requirements and Wilmington is currently considering its own hefty restrictions.
NCC General Land Use Manager Charuni Patibanda says this ordinance would leave 500-700 parcels of land available for recreational dispensaries in the county.
“New Castle County to date, I believe, is one of the most liberal ordinances in the state of Delaware.You're right, many, many cities and municipalities have opted-out — counties do not have that option," Patibanda said.
Most towns in Sussex County have banned marijuana business, but the county’s restrictions prohibit retail dispensaries from opening within 3 miles of sensitive locations, much greater than NCC’s proposal.
A full New Castle County Council vote on its ordinance is expected on December 10.