Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor
Her intent, Jody Cracco said at the January 2 meeting, was “to start a dialogue” with Planning Board members on “what you are looking for,” and their thoughts about the project.
“We’re coming to you because we would love some guidance,” she said “We hope to develop a good relationship with the city.”
This was a preliminary site plan review, so there was no opportunity for public comment, although several neighboring businesses attended.
“I’m all for it,” said Ethan Hall, the Planning Board Chair. “I think we need to embrace it. There’s tremendous sales tax potential.”
Mr. Hall added later, after discussions of traffic impact on South Street, “Honestly, if a new business opens and it has lines of customers around the block, we would be thrilled.”
“This is a product that you will need to sell not to your customer base, but to the non-customer base,” one Planning Board member added.
The biggest concern is expected impact on traffic and parking on South Street. The Dizzy Chicken lot has only three spaces. Jody, who did most of the speaking, said they have talked with the owner of the former Rite Aid building nearby, who they said was agreeable to their renting spaces in that lot.
Potential hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 10 to 10 on weekends, “but we are willing to work with the city on this,” Brittany said.
Ice Cream Man owners
Jody is owner and Brittany the general manager of two ice cream shops, Dairy Haus in Saratoga and The Ice Cream Man in Greenwich.
Brittany is also “a passionate advocate and knowledgable consumer of cannabis,” they wrote in their application.
Jody said in the meeting, “At first I thought she was crazy,” when Brittany proposed a dispensary. “But then I looked into it and learned a lot.”
They are working with consultant and family friend Marcy Leventhal, who was not present at the January 2 meeting. They wrote that Ms. Leventhal as “a pioneer of the regulated marijuana industry” who in 2003 founded one of the oldest dispensaries in San Francisco.
“Saratoga Cannabis Co” is a self-described 100% women-owned business.
Under umbrella company Ten Cees LLC, they have already received a license for adult use cannabis from the state Office of Cannabis Management, as well as other approvals for a NYS licensed retail cannabis dispensary, they noted.
“The license allows the awardee to open a brick and mortar business, a delivery business and eventually a consumption lounge” said their supporting materials — but Jody told the board “we have no plans for consumption on this site.”
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