Riverdale residents split on cannabis dispensaries | The Riverdale Press

by Michelle Mullen

Along Johnson Avenue and West 235th Street — lined with nail salons, pharmacies and cafes — a new kind of storefront has entered the conversation, legal cannabis dispensaries.

While the state continues to greenlight licenses through its office of cannabis management, several retail dispensary premises license applicants have targeted Riverdale as a promising site. But despite increasing interest, those plans have stalled amid a wave of local resistance. 

Some residents are staunchly opposed to cannabis dispensaries. Others are fervently in favor. But many, perhaps the majority, feel indifferent. Still, at this year’s Community Board 8 meetings, those in attendance made one thing clear: The public pushback, regardless of size, has grown more intense.

Last year, CB8 approved two cannabis-dispensary applicants. But the tone shifted this spring. Residents flooded the board with written objections, citing concerns about quality of life, proximity to schools and churches, and the potential erosion of Riverdale’s family-friendly character.

“Every applicant I’ve seen did the necessary footwork and met their [office of cannabis management] obligations,” Edward Green, chair of CB8’s Public Safety Committee, said. “The difference from applications we passed previously was there was no community opposition [at that time].”

By the end of June, the committee received 31 written statements opposing the proposed dispensaries, which Green called an unprecedented response in his seven years on the community board.

Two proposed locations, 574 W 235th St. and 3524 Johnson Ave., were particularly hot topics.

Numerous letters came in opposing the applications, including one from the pastor at St. Gabriel Church. Residents raised alarms over both proposed dispensary’s proximity to schools and the house of worship, arguing it would normalize drug use and clash with neighborhood values.

Another proposal, from The Premium Bud LLC for a site at 4685 Manhattan College Parkway, met a similar fate. 

Manhattan University administrators and faculty were among the nine who submitted written opposition. Concerns again centered on school proximity, access for minors and a failure to reflect the wants of the community.

Just four letters supported the business. The application was denied.

New York legalized adult-use cannabis in 2021 under the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. Hundreds of licenses have since been issued through the office of cannabis management, which also enforces rules around dispensary siting.

Applicants must first secure a compliant location, form a legal business and submit detailed plans via the state portal. Dispensaries must be at least 500 feet from schools, 200 feet from houses of worship and 1,000 feet from other cannabis retailers.

Marijuana advertisements, signage and product displays are prohibited from public view and security requirements are rigorous.

In a place like greater Riverdale, dense with schools and religious institutions, these siting rules dramatically narrow the options for cannabis dispensary placement. However, it’s still less saturated than other parts of the city.

“Manhattan is almost all occupied by dispensaries, and you cannot today find a location,” Ehud Cafri, co-owner of Central Budz and an applicant for 3524 Johnson Ave., said.

That reality has made Riverdale a complicated spot for cannabis entrepreneurs. But while state law grants final licensing power to the office of cannabis management, local boards still play a powerful advisory role, especially when community sentiment is shared.

The public’s reaction is a striking shift from 2023, when two dispensary applications — for Green Gallery on Johnson Ave., which never opened, and Frass Box in Kingsbridge — were approved with relatively little opposition. 

The latter has since gained a loyal following.

“We’ve brought life to the street, and the community, they love it,”  Frass Box co-owner Daphne Borowski said. “I think other business owners on the block have increased sales because of us.”

Borowski said Frass Box sees around 200 customers a day and recently expanded its hours to open earlier for the morning work crowd. 

She estimates her clientele ranges in age from 21 to 91, serving not just recreational users but also those with sleep disorders, pain and anxiety.

Despite Frass Box’s success, this year’s applicants weren’t so fortunate.

The Press spoke to passersby on the corner of West 235th Street and Johnson Ave., just steps from two proposed dispensaries. The responses didn’t quite match the opposition seen at CB8 meetings. Overall, there was a sense of indifference, even among those who weren’t cannabis consumers themselves. 

“As long as it’s legal and regulated, I’m okay with it,” Gretchen Mathewson, a 61-year-old medical provider and Riverdale resident of 34 years, said. “It would make it easier for my patients to get cannabis when they need it. For certain patients, it’s very useful.”

Dennis Mulligan, 68, a Spuyten Duyvil resident, shared a neutral view, comparing dispensaries to liquor stores. 

“Legal marijuana should be allowed the same way [liquor stores] are,” he said, “As long as it’s well-regulated.”

Others also expressed little interest altogether. 

“I guess my only complaint would be it takes the place of what could’ve been a restaurant,” said 48-year-old David Mackler, a 20-year Spuyten Duyvil resident.

Still, public forums, not sidewalk interviews, guide board recommendations. And this year, the message was consistent.

“There’s no doubt these are legitimate, regulated businesses,” CB8’s Green said. “But ultimately, our job is to reflect the community. And the community’s message this time around was loud and clear.”