Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer
The Town of Moreau announced on its Facebook page that the cannabis crop at the 63 Spier Falls Road property off of Exit 17 owned by Saratoga Springs based Shangri-La Real Estate Holdings has been confiscated by the state’s Office of Cannabis Management.
The crop has caused consternation among residents and visitors complaining of the odor the plants have given off.
The Facebook post noted that the town has been informed that “the growers have had the cannabis licenses they held in Washington County suspended by OCM.”
A representative of OCM told The Chronicle, “An investigation is pending on this matter, and the Office of Cannabis Management cannot comment at this time.”
The Chronicle attempted to reach out to a Shangri-La owner for comment and to ask where the company had held cannabis licenses in Washington County, but an email sent to the address a Shangri-La owner provided at a recent Moreau town board meeting came back with a “couldn’t be delivered” message.
The Chronicle previously reported that Shangri-La is owned by father-son duo Orson and Devin Klender.
The Town of Moreau became aware of “what appeared to be a growing operation” for cannabis at the Spier Falls Road site back on July 25, The Chronicle previously reported.
In a letter viewed by The Chronicle from Moreau Town Supervisor Jesse Fish to town residents, Mr. Fish cited a letter from OCM to State Senator Jim Tedisco stating that OCM sent investigators to the Spier Falls Road site and issued a cease and desist order on Oct. 10 in reaction to its “operating without an OCM license, in violation of law and regulation.”
That letter said OCM was made aware of the cannabis operation “through public complaints received on Sept. 25 and 27.”
But Mr. Fish insisted in his letter that “the town had already begun to take action. The town emailed OCM on July 30. A request for information came from OCM on Aug. 8 and the town provided that on the same day.”
Mr. Fish also said in the letter that on Oct. 16, a Shangri-La owner stopped in his office and told him that a cease and desist order was in place.
“That order required the operation to stop, mid-harvest, which resulted in the continued cannabis smell in the area,” Mr. Fish wrote.
He wrote that two days later he received a call from the Shangri-La owner stating that the cease and desist order had been temporarily lifted by OCM, “so the operation could complete their harvest” by Oct. 23 at the latest.
Mr. Fish noted in his letter that at the Oct. 16 meeting in his office, the Shangri- La owner “acknowledged that the cannabis operation had not received authorization or licensing from OCM to operate.”
Mr. Fish closed his letter to residents, “As the town navigates this unexpected and unwelcome situation, I thank you for your continued patience. We are working hard to make sure Moreau residents never have to endure this again.”
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